Have you been injured on an elevator or escalator? We’ll get you the compensation you deserve.
Wherever people are engaging with heavy machinery, the potential for an accident exists. Elevator and escalator accident victims often go uncompensated for their hardships because they do not realize they have a claim for injuries caused by these dangerous machines. The Bennett Law Group has extensive experience in handling these specialized types of cases.
Our attorneys at the Bennett Law Group understand that escalators and elevators are powerful, heavy machines that have the potential to jam, jerk and cause significant injuries. We have all heard horror stories about people’s clothing getting stuck in moving escalators and bodily harm resulting from the accident. While frightening, this scenario has played out countless times in the past.
According to statistics, about 10,000 people are seen in emergency rooms each year due to escalator accidents. Many times the victims of escalator accidents are children who are sitting down on the escalator or standing too close to the side, teenagers or others with shoelaces undone, or those who are wearing billowy clothing or long skirts. “Croc” shoes are also known to be very unsafe on escalators. They don’t look dangerous at first glance, but escalators are much more powerful than they appear.
Some of the ways in which elevator accidents can happen are when doors open onto an empty elevator shaft and an unsuspecting person steps in, not realizing that the elevator car is not there; doors closing prematurely and trapping someone halfway inside as the elevator begins to move, or when the elevator cable breaks and the car plunges unexpectedly downward. It’s extremely important that elevator maintenance is performed on a regularly scheduled basis.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an elevator or escalator accident and you wish to speak with an attorney to review your options, please contact us at your earliest convenience. We have been successful in achieving significant results for our prior clients in handling elevator and escalator accident cases.
Here are some testimonials from satisfied clients we have represented in the past.
Slips, trips and falls are also common on elevators. Sometimes the elevator does notstop at the correct spot, therefore when the doors open the elevator floor is not flush with the floor outside the elevator, causing someone to trip or to fall when stepping down unexpectedly. The elderly seem to be the most at risk for elevator accidents, with “elderly” being defined as 65 or over. It’s estimated that 2,600 elderly people end up in emergency rooms each year due to elevator injuries.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that between the years of 1990 and 2006, there were 44,870 elderly people involved in elevator accidents that required medical attention. Of these elevator accidents, 51% were trips and falls, 40 resulted in a fractured hip, and 48 % resulted in soft-tissue injuries.
Children and teenagers are also very susceptible to elevator injuries. About 2,000 children and teens per year are seen in emergency rooms as a result of an elevator accident. Most children’s elevator injuries involve arms, hands, or fingers.
In large hotels, tall office buildings or congested, chaotic shopping centers, you should be aware of the potential dangers these conveniences pose. Be careful when traveling on escalators and elevators. If you or someone you love has been injured in an elevator or escalator accident and you need a personal injury attorney to assess your situation, please contact us online or call us at 404.541.9330. We look forward to hearing from you.