Elevator and Escalator Injury
Accident Lawyers
Queens, Long Island, Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, New York City, NY
- Millions of Dollars Recovered For our Personal Injury Clients
- Call Anytime - 24/7
- *No Fee Unless Successful*
- We Will Come To Your Home Or Hospital
Elevator and escalator injuries cases
Elevator and escalator accidents are an example of a premises liability case, which are accidents that result from a property owner’s negligence, poor property maintenance, and unsafe conditions. A landlord or business owner has a duty to repair and maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition and warn people of existing dangerous conditions.
An elevator or escalator that has been insufficiently maintained can inflict serious physical injury upon a passenger. An elevator that does not line up properly with the floor can be extremely hazardous. The most common and hazardous injury producing causes of elevator accidents involve a sudden drop, jammed doors, moving of the cabin while doors are closing and the opening of the doors while the elevator has not come to complete halt.
After a person has sustained elevator injuries, he or she may be legally entitled to seek compensation from the landowner. An elevator or escalator accident victim may seek monetary damages for his or her medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, lost wages, lost future income, physical and mental impairment.
Landlords and business owners or managers of buildings are required by law to keep elevators and escalators in compliance with safety codes and standards and upkeep of the safety equipment and safety devises.
Moreover, service and maintenance companies can also be found liable for faulty elevators and escalators. Elevators and escalators are complicated pieces of machinery. Very few building owners or managers service their elevators and/or escalators themselves due to the complexities and expertise required to do so. Therefore, they enter into a contract with trained service and maintenance companies. Service companies are then responsible for, at minimum, monthly lubrication, adjustments, maintenance, and upgrades. These companies are responsible to know current standards and changes in codes. They can also be held accountable for defective repairs and for failing to keep maintenance records.
Finally, if a defect is discovered in the construction, manufacturing, or design of the elevator/escalator or its components, then the manufacturer of the elevator may be held responsible for the injuries under a theory commonly known as products liability claim.
Our toll free number is 877-544-5800.