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People spend months looking forward to shark week because of the deadly nature of these animals. But, about sixteen times per year, and I’m watching more deadly predators might be waiting in your local mall. Elevators and escalators account for 30 deaths per year and tens of thousands of injuries. Accidents involving elevators and escalators are serious and often have multiple parties at fault, from the manufacturer to the person responsible for maintaining the building.
Elevators and escalators are two of the least expected dangers people face on a regular basis. No one expects an elevator to stop and plummet for even a single floor. People don’t expect escalators to literally fall apart while they’re in use. Many people survived these accidents, and they aren’t sure of what to do after the fact. They might be approached by the product manufacturer, or the building owner, suggesting that they should quietly resolve the matter. Don’t fall for it. Contact our Cincinnati personal injury attorneys today.
Unexpected Dangers Lurking in Malls and Shopping Centers
As far back as 1998, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and the consumer product safety commission have worked together to track the dangers of elevators and escalators. They’ve recognized that both of these large pieces of equipment are the cause of serious injuries and deaths each year to workers and the general public.
Workers are most at risk when cleaning elevator shafts or conducting emergency evacuations on stalled elevators. However, the general public is most at risk when it comes to escalators, which are largely replacing the use of elevators in general shopping areas and especially in malls.
Escalators are even taking a prime spot in medical facilities and other facilities that span out over a large area.
Are These Dangers Avoidable?
Are some of the most common injuries involving elevators or escalators avoidable? In fact, some of them are avoidable by simply paying greater attention to our surroundings. The most common injury includes a door strike. This is when the door strikes a person as they are entering or exiting the elevator. Now, elevators are manufactured in a way to reduce the likelihood of this type of injury.
The doors closed at what is considered an extremely slow and controllable rate. They are also responsive to pressure and should reopen upon hitting anything solid. However, there are two doors, one in the elevator car, and the landing door is the landing door that causes most injuries.
To avoid a door strike, make sure that all parts of your body are completely clear from the door and as short a time as possible. Leave the car quickly, and take care of that when you’re entering, you have enough space to comfortably get completely inside the elevator.
Unavoidable Dangers
Other safety issues such as entrapment, leveling, and a puncture or injury from a sharp step on an escalator aren’t avoidable. There’s only so much that pedestrians can do when using these pieces of equipment, and often the responsibility falls into the building owner or manager and the product manufacturer.
Both escalators and elevators require routine maintenance, but unexpected malfunctions do happen. Even with outstanding, regular, and extremely detailed maintenance, accidents will still happen.
For those who have been in one of these traumatic escalators or elevators, it’s evident that the issue wasn’t with you. We understand that your injury wasn’t avoidable on your part, and we’ll help guide you through what you should expect in your financial recovery.
Young, Reverman, and Mazzei Discuss Your Cincinnati Personal Injury Attorney Options
If you were injured by an escalator or an elevator in Cincinnati, Ohio, then you have legal options. Various authority departments within the United States have acknowledged the widespread danger of these devices, and it’s possible to take legal action against the product manufacturer, the owner of the building, or even the service that provides maintenance on these pieces of equipment.
The extent of your injuries, or the involvement of the death of a family member, will set the tone for the lawsuit. We’ll help you calculate the damages you experienced through medical expenses, property laws, income loss, as well as pain and suffering. At Young, Reverman, and Mazzei, You can have all the legal help you need to properly structure a strong case and negotiate for the settlement that you need to get going again. A quiet settlement through private negotiations without the help of an attorney can leave you with massive amounts of medical debt and extreme issues because of lost income. Don’t go without legal representation.
