Elevator Accidents

Home > Personal Injury > Elevator-accident

Elevator Accidents

Each year in the U.S., elevator accidents result in up to 30 fatalities and more than 10,000 injuries. There are at least 600,000 elevators across the country, with millions of individual elevator trips taken each day. Although state regulations cover the safe construction, operation, and maintenance of elevators, non-compliance with these regulations is common.

Common Types of Elevator Accidents

An elevator accident may occur when an elevator:

•  doesn't open level with the floor

•  gets stuck

•  suddenly speeds up or slows down

•  misses a floor in a building

•  plummets down the elevator shaft

Other elevator accidents are due to the following:

•  An individual trips on the uneven surface made by a mis-positioned elevator floor

•  The elevator doors open onto an open shaft

•  A closing door hits someone, or even traps them as the elevator moves

•  The electronic eye mechanism doesn't function

•  The elevator shaft is accessible

Injuries and Fatalities from Elevator Accidents

The injuries incurred in elevator accidents range from relatively minor, such as scrapes and mild pinches, to severe problems such as tendon and nerve lacerations, bone fractures, spinal injury , and brain damage.

When an individual is harmed or killed in an elevator accident, that person or his/her family may have legal recourse against the manufacturer of the elevator, the owner of the building in which the elevator is operating, a maintenance contractor, or other involved parties. Elevator accidents are covered by " premises liability ," a field of law that concerns the duty of property owners and managers to maintain their property as a safe place for the public.

Your Legal Remedy

Monetary compensation for injuries or a fatality due to an elevator accident may be appropriate to make amends for losses and damages such as:

•  Medical bills

•  Rehabilitation costs

•  Funeral and burial costs

•  Lost wages

•  Loss of earning capacity

•  Loss of a spousal or parental relationship

•  Loss of financial support

•  Pain and suffering

An Attorney to Protect Your Rights

When you have been injured in an elevator accident, or if your loved one has been injured or killed in an elevator accident, it is in your best interest to have a skilled premises liability attorney help you protect your legal rights.

The personal injury or wrongful death aspect of such a case is best dealt with by an attorney who has the experience and knowledge that will help ensure the best possible outcome for you. Find such an attorney today — schedule a consultation to discuss your case and obtain the superior legal representation you need.

Related Elevator Accident News

August 18, 2008 - Manhattan Woman Injured in Elevator Accident

May 28, 2008 - Insurance Company Sued After Elevator Accident 

Sept 18, 2007 - Popular Shoe Risky on Escalators