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The New York elevator accident attorneys and the personal injury and wrongful death lawyers at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool handle elevator and escalator accidents that result in serious injury or death to passengers, building employees, custodial staff, emergency safety workers and elevator maintenance and inspection personnel.
New York City residents use elevators and escalators everyday, in office buildings, residences, shopping malls, hotels, schools, apartments and government buildings. Construction elevators are also often used on job sites, and in mining and excavating.
Elevators and escalators kill about 30 people each year and injure 17,000 nationwide, according to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Elevators cause about 90 percent of all deaths and 60 percent of all injuries, with escalators and related devices accounting for the rest.
The Center to Protect Workers' Rights studied 69 elevator deaths between 1992 and 2003 and found that 12 passenger deaths occurred in New York – nearly three times more that anywhere else in the country.
Among the leading instances of elevator accidents are elevator maintenance and building service workers who fall into the shaft, are caught in or between moving parts, and workers who are harmed by collapsing elevators or are struck by elevators or counterweights.
Other causes of injury include passengers who fall down the shaft when doors open without an elevator car present, escalator and elevator trip and fall accidents and clothing or limbs caught in an elevator.
All elevators and escalators in New York City must be inspected five times every two years – three times by the Building Department and twice by a private inspection agency. A copy of the inspections must be kept in the elevator or in the building manager's office.
Elevator and escalator owners and operators have a legal obligation to properly maintain equipment and have elevators and escalators regularly inspected and serviced.
Property owners, inspection companies, elevator and escalator maintenance and service companies, and even equipment manufacturers can be held responsible for New York elevator or escalator accidents that lead to serious injury or death of a passenger.
The New York elevator injury lawyers and escalator accident attorneys at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool offer free appointments to discuss your rights.
Call the New York law office of Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool at 877-394-1329 to discuss your case.
Safety Tips for Escalators and moving walks:
- Make sure shoelaces, scarves and other items likely to get caught in an escalator are tucked in and secured.
- Be careful stepping on or off an escalator, especially if you wear bifocals.
- Always face forward.
- Hold on to handrails and do not grab the sides beneath the handrails.
- Keep a close eye on all children riding an escalator with you.
- Once you disembark, move quickly away from the exit area.
- Do not jump, ride backwards or run on an escalator.
- Do not ride escalators with strollers, walkers or carts.
Safety tips for Elevators:
- Make sure the elevator is level with the floor when entering or exiting.
- Don't rush.
- Don't exit an elevator stopped more than 9 inches from a landing.
- Don't enter or exit an elevator while the doors are closing.
- Use a 'door open' button instead of body to hold an elevator door open.
- Don't lean on elevator doors.
- Keep clothing items from closing in elevator doors.
In an emergency
- Never use an elevator during a fire.
- Wait for help and remain calm.
- Don't attempt to pry elevator doors open.
- Use the emergency communications system or press the emergency call button.
- Follow instructions from building management or safety crews.
- Never attempt to exit a stalled elevator without the help of safety crews, building management or other professionals.
- Move to the rear of the elevator while waiting for help.
Source: New York City Department of Buildings
