Elevator and Escalator Injuries
Elevators and escalators have provided many people not only with a tremendous convenience, but with the prospect of easily reaching any level of a building without excessive physical strain. The complicated nature of the machinery, in fact, has created an entire industry of service operators who sign contracts to regularly maintain and service the elevators and escalators. However, injuries associated with each of these devices still occur and can cause broken bones, internal bleeding, and even death.
If you or someone you know has been injured due to a malfunctioning elevator or escalator, contact the Harrisburg elevator injury attorneys of Lowenthal and Abrams, P.C., at 610-667-7511 to speak with a skilled and experienced lawyer about your legal rights and options in this situation.
Potential Sources of Liability for Elevator or Escalator Accidents
An elevator or escalator manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that the product that they are releasing to the market is safe for use as intended. This obligation makes it necessary to carefully design, inspect, and test the product to determine any potential threats to public safety. Upon the identification of these dangers, it is necessary to either work to eliminate them, or if that is impossible then choosing to withhold the product from the market or to warn the public of known hazards.
Aftermarket, building owners are conceivably liable for the consequences of negligent installation, maintenance, or repair that results in injuries to guests on the property. Elevator or escalator accidents that may occur include:
- Injuries sustained while attempting to enter or exit an elevator that has not settled even with the appropriate floor
- Falling through a missing step on an escalator
- Clothing or extremities becoming caught in an escalator
- Falling into an open elevator shaft due to a lack of signs or failure of doors to close
- The risk of electric shocks due to flaws in the electrical wiring and systems onboard
Contact Us
If you or someone you know has been injured due to a building owner’s negligence or failure to properly maintain equipment, contact the Harrisburg premises liability attorneys of Lowenthal and Abrams, P.C., at 610-667-7511.