August 27, 2009
/24-7PressRelease/ --
Elevator Accidents: Painful and Preventable
Article provided by The Klein Law Group, P.C.
Visit us at
www.thekleinlawgroup.com
Neighbors said everyone loved him. Though he was legally blind and could not see their faces, they said he had a smile for every person he met. The happiness that a 67 year old man brought to his Bronx neighborhood came to an end earlier this year when a faulty elevator caused him to plunge 25 feet to his death.
The victim was on his way to pick up the mail when he opened the old-fashioned swinging door to the elevator. The door was designed to open only after the elevator car had arrived. This time, the door opened and he stepped into an empty elevator shaft.
Elevator accidents are often preventable. Too often they are the result of critical maintenance left undone and crucial repairs delayed.
Even when the New York City Department of Buildings issues citations, the warnings are often ignored.
The DOB issued 10 citations to owners of the Ernst and Young Building before a freight elevator's counterweights failed. The failure sent the elevator plunging to the 19th floor and then hurtling upwards, where it crashed into the roof and killed the Queens man inside.
At the same time, another elevator in the building dropped to the ground floor. The two people inside were uninjured.
In a tragic incident last year, a five year old boy fell 10 stories to his death while trying to escape a stuck elevator in Brooklyn.
Situations that can lead to injuries in elevators include the following:
-Faulty elevator doors that shut or open improperly
-Sudden elevator drops or rises
-Falls into open elevator shafts
-Having clothing catch on a poorly maintained door
Resultant injuries can range from minor to severe: broken bones, cuts, scrapes, amputations and major head and body trauma that can cause death.
If you have suffered an injury in an elevator accident, experts advise you to seek immediate medical attention and to contact a personal injury attorney who can help make sure your rights are fully protected.
Article provided by The Klein Law Group, P.C.
Visit us at
www.thekleinlawgroup.com---
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