Elevator accidents can cause catastrophic injuries to victims in various ways. Victims can suffer blunt force injuries from elevators dropping in the shaft, they can become trapped within the elevator for hours, and they can even get caught in the doors.
If you suffered an injury in an elevator accident in New Jersey, contact Nagel Rice, LLP, for a free initial consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. Our firm has collected over $1 billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients, including a recent $8 million settlement. Let us show you how we can use our experience to help you seek the compensation you need and deserve.
Common Elevator Accident Causes and Injuries
When seeking compensation for an elevator accident, it’s essential to understand how the accident occurred. This information will help you identify the liable party, which is a crucial part of your legal case. Some of the most common causes of elevator accidents are:
- Mechanical Failure – A mechanical failure can have devastating consequences for those within an elevator. These failures can lead to loss of power, falling elevators, fires, and stuck doors.
- Poor Maintenance – If elevators don’t receive proper maintenance, failures are more likely to occur. Property owners must record when maintenance was last performed on their elevators, which can help identify whether improper maintenance was a factor.
- Faulty Installation – An improperly installed elevator can cause injuries due to faulty sensors and buttons.
- Improper Use – In some cases, elevator accidents result from improper use, such as overloading. All elevators have a weight limit, and exceeding it can cause injuries.
Elevator accident victims suffer from a wide range of injuries. However, the most common and serious injuries include:
- Broken Bones – If an elevator drops in the shaft or the doors close on you and won’t reopen, it can lead to broken bones, crushing injuries, or amputations.
- Spinal Cord Injuries – The force of an elevator hitting the bottom of the shaft after dropping can cause severe spinal cord injuries as the spine gets compressed when the car lands. These injuries can lead to permanent paralysis.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries – Any accident that causes a victim to hit their head can cause a traumatic brain injury. These injuries range from mild concussions to severe brain injuries that cause permanent physical and cognitive impairment.
- Psychological Injuries – Not all injuries are physical. Being in a scary accident like one involving an elevator can contribute to psychological injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety.
Who Is Liable For Injuries Suffered in an Elevator Accident?
Identifying the liable party or parties in your case is vital for recovering the compensation you deserve. The liable parties in most elevator accidents are:
- Property Owners – Building owners and managers are responsible for ensuring their elevators are in good working condition. They could be liable if they don’t keep elevator maintenance records so that the prior service date is unknown or haven’t had an inspection performed.
- Elevator Manufacturers – Manufacturers can be liable if a defect in the elevator’s design, manufacturing process, or warning labels contributed to the accident.
- Maintenance Providers – If an elevator doesn’t receive adequate maintenance or a problem was missed during routine maintenance, the provider could be liable for injuries.
- Third Parties – In some cases, third parties could be liable for an elevator accident, such as if they overloaded the elevator, causing it to fail.
Compensation Available to Elevator Accident Victims
After suffering an injury in an elevator accident, you can seek compensation for various losses you suffered, including:
- Medical Expenses – Compensation for your past and future medical expenses, including surgeries, medical treatments, prescription medications, and physical therapy
- Lost Wages – Compensation for your lost wages and loss of future earning capacity caused by your injuries
- Pain and Suffering – Compensation for the physical pain and emotional suffering you experience because of your injuries
- Disability Accommodations – Compensation for accommodating any long-term or permanent disabilities you suffered, such as if you need to modify your home or vehicle for wheelchair accessibility
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life – Compensation for the impact your injuries have on your ability to participate in activities you once enjoyed
Steps to Take After an Elevator Accident
To build a strong legal case and make the most of your recovery, it’s important that you take the following steps after suffering an injury in any kind of accident:
- Seek Ongoing Treatment – While seeking immediate medical treatment is important, so is seeking ongoing treatment. Remember to attend all doctor’s appointments, and don’t stop your treatment until your doctor says you can.
- Keep Track of Medical Bills – Keep your medical bills in one place so your attorney can use them to calculate your medical expenses.
- Write Down What You Remember – Record the details of the accident while they’re still fresh in your mind. Your notes can help you recall these details later on in your case.
- Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer – The best way to protect your right to seek compensation for your injuries is to work with an experienced injury attorney.
How Our Elevator Accident Lawyers Can Help
Our experienced elevator accident lawyers can assist you with every aspect of your case, from the initial investigation to negotiating a settlement or seeking a trial award:
- Investigating the Incident – We’ll investigate the accident to identify all liable parties and collect supporting evidence.
- Calculating Your Losses – We’ll use your medical bills, financial records, and other information to determine the value of your case.
- Negotiating with Insurance Companies – We’ll negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf and seek a fair settlement that covers all your accident-related losses.
- Representing You in Court – We’ll represent you in court and seek the maximum compensation if the insurance companies refuse to offer a fair settlement.
Contact Our New Jersey Elevator Accident Attorneys
If an elevator accident caused your injuries, contact Nagel Rice, LLP, for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey injury lawyer. We’ll review your case, explain your legal options for recovering compensation, and answer any questions you have about the process.
Nagel Rice LLP helps its clients throughout New Jersey, including Roseland, Bergen County, Essex County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, Passaic County, and Sussex County. We also represent clients in New York throughout Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.