Slip And Fall on Defective Escalators & Elevators in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Lawyers for Defective Elevator and Escalator Accident Victims

Philadelphia is a city of high-rise buildings, which means that there are numerous elevators and escalators in the county. Although most still work well, some are poorly designed or manufactured. Others fail due to poor maintenance. If you or a loved one was injured while on an elevator or escalator, you may have a right to compensation for your losses and damages.

At Philly Slip and Fall Guys, our attorneys have been helping injured clients for over 30 years. Over the years, we have obtained compensation for hundreds of people, including those who incurred injuries due to defective elevators and escalators.

If you or a loved one was injured in an elevator or on an escalator anywhere in Philadelphia County, call our lawyers. We handle accident injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you owe no attorney’s fee until we obtain a verdict or settlement on your behalf. Call us at (215) 268-6898 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

Understanding Your Rights After an Elevator Accident

An elevator accident can change your life in seconds. You step into what should be a safe machine, and something goes wrong. Elevator malfunctions happen because someone failed to do their job properly. The property owner, maintenance company, or manufacturer might be responsible for what happened to you.

When an injury occurred inside an elevator or escalator, you have legal options. A personal injury lawyer can help you understand who should pay for your damages. All this matters because accidents like these create serious financial problems. You deserve to recover compensation for everything you’ve been through.

Multiple parties might share the blame for your injuries. The building owner has a duty to keep equipment safe. The maintenance crew must inspect and repair problems in a timely manner. If they all failed, you can hold each one accountable. A personal injury attorney investigates to find everyone responsible.

Causes of Elevator and Escalator Injuries

Our attorneys have attained compensation for clients who sustained injuries due to malfunctioning elevators and escalators caused by:

• Elevator doors closing quickly
• Bad design
• Poor maintenance
• Faulty manufactured parts
• Wet floors in elevators
• Failure of safety devices
• Stopping and jerking on escalators
• Mis-leveling of elevators

Some of these conditions lead to trip-and-falls, while others result in users being caught in the mechanisms or getting stuck between floors. Clients have suffered head injuries, broken bones, crush injuries and various other injuries because of defective elevators and escalators.

Common Injuries From Escalator Accidents

An escalator accident often causes serious harm. People fall backwards when steps suddenly stop or speed up. Clothing or shoes get caught in the moving parts. Children suffer finger injuries when they put their hands near the sides. These escalator injuries require immediate medical attention and often long-term treatment.

Head injuries are common when people tumble down moving steps. You might hit your head on the metal sides or on the steps themselves. A traumatic brain injury can result from these falls. Broken bones happen when arms and legs twist in awkward positions during a fall. Spinal injuries occur when the back hits the escalator edges with force.

Other injuries include cuts from sharp metal edges and crush injuries from getting trapped in the machinery. Escalator cases often involve severe wounds that need surgery. The moving parts of an escalator can cause damage that affects you for the rest of your life. Common injuries require months of physical therapy and recovery time.

Who Is Responsible for Elevator and Escalator Accidents?

The property owner must make sure their equipment works safely. Shopping malls, office buildings, and apartment complexes all use these machines daily. When they fail to inspect or repair problems, they put everyone at risk. A building owner who ignores safety issues can be held liable for injuries that result.

A maintenance company has a job to keep equipment running properly. They should check elevator cables, test elevator doors, and inspect escalator steps regularly. Poor maintenance leads to dangerous breakdowns. If the maintenance crew skips inspections or rushes through repairs, people get injured. They must complete their work in a timely manner to protect people who use these machines.

Manufacturers can also be at fault when they produce a defective elevator or defective escalator. Design flaws cause accidents even when everything is maintained correctly. Parts that break easily or safety features that don’t work show manufacturing defects. You can pursue compensation from the company that made the faulty equipment.

Steps to Take After Your Injury Occurred

Right after your injury occurred, report what happened to the building management. Ask them to document the incident and get a copy of the report. Take photos of the escalator or elevator where you were hurt. Look for any warning signs that were or were not posted. This evidence helps prove your case later.

Get medical help right away, even if you think you’re okay. Some injuries don’t show symptoms immediately. A traumatic brain injury might not be obvious at first. Having medical records that document your condition strengthens your claim. Your doctor needs to see you as soon as possible after the accident.

Gather evidence by getting contact information from witnesses who saw what happened. They can confirm how the elevator or escalator malfunctioned. Don’t talk to insurance companies without legal help. They often try to minimize your claim or deny responsibility. A personal injury lawyer protects your rights during this process.

Financial Losses From Elevator and Escalator Injuries

Medical bills pile up quickly after a slip and fall on defective escalators or an elevator accident. Emergency room visits, surgery, and hospital stays cost thousands of dollars. Physical therapy sessions continue for weeks or months. You might need specialized treatment for a traumatic brain injury or other injuries. All this medical care adds up to huge expenses.

Lost income affects your ability to pay bills and support your family. When you missed work because of your injuries, your paycheck stops but your expenses don’t. Some people can’t return to their jobs for months. Others suffer permanent disabilities that prevent them from working at all. You deserve to recover money for every dollar you’ve lost.

To recover compensation, your lawyer calculates all your current and future costs. This includes medical bills you’ve already paid and treatment you’ll need later. It accounts for wages you’ve lost and future earning capacity you’ve lost. A personal injury attorney makes sure nothing gets overlooked when determining what you should receive.

Why You Need Legal Help After These Accidents

Elevator and escalator cases are complex. Proving that equipment was defective requires technical knowledge and expert testimony. A personal injury lawyer knows how to investigate these accidents properly. They work with engineers who can explain what went wrong and why it happened.

Insurance companies defend these cases aggressively. They have lawyers working to deny or reduce your claim. Trying to handle all this yourself while recovering from injuries is overwhelming. Having your own attorney levels the playing field. They fight for your rights while you focus on getting better.

Contact a Philadelphia Elevator Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one was injured in an elevator or escalator, contact our attorneys online or by telephone at (215) 268-6898. Schedule your free consultation to learn how we can help you get compensation and damages.