For many New Yorkers, taking an elevator is just part of their daily routine. Whether it's to get to their apartment, office, or a store, riding the elevator is often taken for granted. However, what happens when an elevator ride takes a dangerous turn? New York City has seen its fair share of elevator accidents, from malfunctions to unexpected drops that have caused serious injuries and even fatalities. While elevators are heavily regulated in the city, accidents can still occur, and the consequences can be devastating. In this blog, we'll take a closer look at elevator accidents in New York City and what you need to know to stay safe.
In cities such as New York, elevator accidents are pretty common, thanks to the crowded nature of this bubbling metropolis. According to stats, over 17,000 people are involved in an elevator accident every year, leading to serious injuries and sometimes, death.
If you or perhaps a loved one have been involved in an elevator accident, you might be confused about what action to take. You do not need to worry, especially when you have an experienced personal injury attorney.
A lot can lead to an elevator accident, often as a result of negligence or lack of maintenance culture from the property owner or company. Thousands, if not millions of people use the elevator every day to go either up or down buildings and over time, could develop faults that can be disastrous to its users. Other causes could include:
One of the accidents common with elevators is falling into the elevator shaft, especially among maintenance workers who need to enter precarious areas to conduct maintenance checks. When an elevator malfunctions, the chances of a passenger or worker falling into the shaft increase tremendously. If the external door should open for any reason, someone could accidentally fall to their death several floors below.
This accounts for a large percentage of elevator accidents in New York City, and often as a result of negligence by the property owner or company. Since elevators are built with a mechanism that allows the doors to remain open when there is an obstruction, a malfunctioned door is most likely to ram together, injuring the passenger or worse, killing them at the spot.
Elevators are programmed to move at a safe speed without having to upset the balance of passengers. However, a malfunctioned elevator will spike up in speed, causing passengers to lose their balance and knock heads with other passengers resulting in severe injuries.
The wires running through an elevator are likely to get worn out with time, posing danger to users. This form of malfunction could lead to electrical shock, and might even cause the elevator to begin free-falling through the shaft.
This is one of the most common causes of elevator death, as some aspects of the pulley system can fail to cause the elevator to fall off the track and drop rapidly through the shaft.
If you were involved in an elevator accident, the best line of action is to get in touch with an experienced personal injury lawyer after receiving medical attention. Your attorney will represent your case in court and ensure that you’re duly compensated both for your pain, suffering, and loss of wages. Feel free to give us a call or perhaps fill out the form to book an appointment.
