Elevator Accident
An elevator is a box that carries people up and down from floor-to-floor in a building. It’s not always a box or square, however, and sometime it can be glass-enclosed and travel outside a building. But the principle remains, that an elevator moves people and things (such as construction supplies and equipment) up and down. An elevator may be temporary or permanent. The elevator should not be confused with its cousin, the
escalator or moving stair.
Elevator accident injuries can occur when an elevator:
- Suddenly drops;
- Gets stuck between floors;
- Has a slippery floor;
- Has defective doors that close on an elevator rider;
- Suddenly stops;
- Suddenly speeds up;
- Opens when floor of elevator is not level with floor of building (called misleveling accident);
- Opens when the elevator car is not there (almost always a fatal accident). Read my blog about a Bronx man who plunged to his death down an elevator shaft when he walked backwards into into an elevator without looking and there was no elevator car.
In New York City Boroughs like Brooklyn, Queens and Bronx and other heavily peopled areas, thousands of people use elevators every day of their work week; they expect to get around without suffering an elevator accident injury. Read my blog about a young Staten Island, New York City woman who had a fatal cardiac event when she was trapped in an
elevator during a power outage.
An experienced elevator accident and injury attorney will check to see if the elevator was properly maintained and if it was periodically inspected and the inspection report filed with the City of New York, Department of Buildings. Sometimes a building owner will try to save money by skipping elevator inspections (which are considered “voluntary”). When that happens, elevator malfunctions and injuries can result.
Safety tips for Elevators:
- Make sure the elevator is level with the floor when entering or exiting.
- Don’t rush.
- Don’t exit an elevator stopped more than 9 inches from a landing.
- Don’t enter or exit an elevator while the doors are closing.
- Use a “door open” button instead of body to hold an elevator door open.
- Don’t lean on elevator doors.
- Keep clothing items from closing in elevator doors.
In an emergency:
- Never use an elevator during a fire.
- Wait for help and remain calm.
- Don’t attempt to pry elevator doors open.
- Use the emergency communications system or press the emergency call button.
- Follow instructions from building management or safety crews.
- Never attempt to exit a stalled elevator without the help of safety crews, building management or other professionals.
- Move to the rear of the elevator while waiting for help.
An elevator accident attorney must be knowledgeable about technicalities and specifications of elevator equipment that are central to an elevator accident case. Only an experienced elevator accident lawyer can lead the team of elevator expert processionals (non-lawyers such as engineers) who will have to end their services to this case. When you have been hurt in an elevator accident, you should not hesitate to make the claim against the building owner, managing agent, or elevator maintenance company.
For your serious personal injury, you need serious legal representation from a qualified personal injury attorney. You need the Law Offices of
Gary E. Rosenberg, P.C.!
Contact us for your free, initial consultation.
Law Offices of Gary E. Rosenberg, P.C.
109-01 72nd Road, Suite 1A
Forest Hills, New York 11375
(718) 520-8787
26 Court Street, Suite 404
Brooklyn, New York 11242
Serving: New York City, including the Boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Bronx, and the Counties of Kings, Richmond, Queens, New York, Bronx, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Dutchess.