Bronx Elevator Accident Lawyer

New York City is home to high-rise apartment and office buildings that must be accessed by elevators. The horrific death of Madison Avenue advertising executive Suzanne Hart in 2011 was called to the attention of Domina Law on the potential danger of elevators. Fortunately, elevator accidents are rare and if your were to find yourself in such an unlikely situation, you want the help of a Bronx elevator accident lawyer on your side. With the safety devices built into modern elevators, they should never happen at all. When they do, it is usually because of a problem with equipment maintenance, as it was in Hart’s tragic, wrongful death.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that an average 27 people die in elevator accidents a year in the United States. In addition, approximately 17,100 people are seriously injured by elevators annually.

Who is at Risk?

Two categories of people constitute half of the fatalities caused by elevators:

  • Repair or maintenance workers who service elevators
  • People who use elevators as part of their employment

Types of Elevator Accidents

Accidents are often due to equipment defects, improper maintenance, or incomplete repairs or inspections by unqualified personnel, resulting in broken cables, malfunctioning pulleys, or improper door operation. Types of accidents include:

  • People falling into an empty elevator shaft when the doors open without a car present
  • An elevator car stops several inches off the level of the platform, causing passengers to trip and fall
  • Clothing and body parts become caught in closing doors
  • Broken elevator cables allow the elevator to free fall
  • Doors closing on passengers entering and exiting the elevator

Escalator Accidents

Escalators are responsible for more injuries than elevators. Injuries occur on escalators approximately 15 times more often than injuries on elevators, although fatalities are extremely rare. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, around 10,000 people are injured in escalator accidents annually, many of them children.

These often occur when:

  • Clothing becomes snagged in the escalator step’s metal teeth
  • The surface of the steps becomes slippery and causes slip and fall accidents
  • The escalator stops suddenly, causing passengers to fall
  • An abrupt stop causes an adult to drop a child.

Determining Liability

If you were injured or a family member killed in an elevator or escalator accident, you will need to have a highly experienced Bronx elevator accident lawyer working for you to prove your case and determine who is liable for your damages. These accidents can be complicated. Here’s why:

An elevator or escalator is a fixture of real property—premises belonging to an owner who is responsible for the reasonable safety of people legally on the property. But liability for an accident may not always be clear cut. Owners may be leasing the premises, making the lessee responsible for maintenance. Or an owner or lessee may have hired a maintenance company who is under contract to keep the equipment operating safely. Defective parts could be the fault of a manufacturer, who would then be liable for your injuries. Inspectors are required to periodically examine elevators and escalators to determine if they comply with codes to ensure safety, and an overlooked defect could cause liability on the inspector’s part. Don Domina; an experienced Bronx elevator accident attorney is the best legal representation you can find to maximize your likelihood of recovering compensation.

Have Our Experienced Bronx Elevator Accident Attorneys Handle Your Claim

If you have been injured in an accident involving a New York elevator or escalator, you may have a claim to recover compensation for your damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, disability, loss of enjoyment of life, and other losses, both financial and intangible. Because of the potential complexities of this type of accident, your Bronx elevator accident lawyer will need to conduct a detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding the accident, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and in many cases calling on engineers and other specialists to provide analysis and expert testimony in support of your case. You must have one of our elevator accident attorneys who acquires the resources, commitment, and experience in this specific accident type to ensure proper handling of your claim for the best possible outcome.

Attorney Dino J. Domina is a Bronx elevator accident lawyer with twenty years of legal experience, devoting his law practice exclusively to obtaining compensation for the injured. He routinely handles premises accident cases, including those involving elevators and escalators. He has success in recovering money for his clients and has been designated as a New York Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine. He offers a free consultation and accepts injury and wrongful death cases on contingency, so you don’t have to worry about fees or expenses until your case is won by one our commited Bronx accident elevator attorneys.

Legal time limits apply, so don’t wait. Contact us to schedule an appointment with a elevator accident lawyer in the Bronx on 718.962.0600 today