773-365-0040
Elevator and Escalator Accidents
Elevators in the U.S. make approximately 18 billion passenger trips each year, and escalators make an incredible 105 billion trips according to Consumer Watch. Each year, approximately 27 people are killed in elevator accidents, with around 10,000 individuals experiencing serious injuries. Escalators are safer, with the average number of serious injuries estimated to be around 7,000. On average, only five people are killed each year due to escalator mishaps.
When Can an Injured Party File a Lawsuit for an Elevator or Escalator Accident?
While elevator and escalator accidents are not frequent occurrences, they can lead to severe injury and death. Most of these accidents are linked to negligent maintenance or defective parts.
Premises liability law exists to protect the rights of individuals who become injured on another’s property. Property owners and managers have a duty to ensure that anyone who visits their property remains safe. This means keeping the premises free of any known hazards and includes properly maintaining any equipment that is used by visitors.
Property owners, managers, and repair companies can all be held responsible for failing to properly maintain the equipment if a serious accident that leads to injury or death occurs. Additionally, elevator and escalator manufacturers can be held responsible if their equipment is inherently faulty.
Getting Stuck in an Elevator
You can file a lawsuit if you’re stuck in an elevator and you were injured. Furthermore, you must be able to prove you were injured. For instance, if you have a medical condition and it was made worse by the incident. The best way to find out if you have a legitimate claim is to speak with a knowledgeable Joliet premises liability lawyer.
Statistics
Every day during the workweek, literally millions of Americans utilize elevators and escalators to access their offices in multi-storied buildings. Additionally, countless numbers of people ride escalators to take them from floor to floor inside department stores and malls; while condominium and apartment residents often opt to take the elevator to and from their units.
There are approximately 600,000 elevators in the United States, which is about twenty times the number of escalators. However, the numbers of individuals injured by the two modes of transport are almost equal. This means that you are twenty times more likely to be injured when you step onto an escalator as compared to riding in an elevator. Nevertheless, these numbers can be somewhat misleading because elevators are responsible for approximately 90% of the deaths and 60% of the serious injuries.
Overall, an average of 30 people are killed and more than 17,000 are injured each year in the United States due to elevator and escalator accidents. Injuries to those working on or near elevators account for almost half the death toll each year. These include the individuals who install, repair, and maintain the elevators as well as those working in or near elevator shafts.
Liability
When riders are injured on an elevator or escalator, an investigation often reveals more than one potentially responsible party. First and foremost, the property owners have a legal duty to ensure that the elevator or escalator is in safe operating condition. They must conduct regular inspections and immediately alert the maintenance contractor of any issues that might otherwise be overlooked.
Many commercial properties are managed by a professional management company that has been hired by the property owner. The management company usually assumes the responsibility to ensure the safe condition of the property, including the elevators and escalators. If they fail to have these machines maintained properly, they may be held liable.
Lastly, because most property owners, and even management companies, do not have an in-house staff capable of elevator and escalator maintenance, they usually rely on an outside contractor. If there are shortcomings found in the maintenance of the elevator or escalator, much of the liability will fall to the contractor.
Trust Shea Law Group to Get You the Compensation You Deserve
At Shea Law Group, our experienced legal team has handled hundreds of premises liability cases, with many involving elevator and escalator accidents. If you or someone you love has been injured by an elevator or escalator, give us a call at (877)-365-0040 today. You have nothing to lose as you will never incur a fee unless we win your case for you. Our personal injury lawyers in Chicago, IL are here to help.
