New York City Escalator Accident Lawyers
While escalators may not seem like a huge danger, the injuries they cause can be severely damaging and sometimes fatal to those involved in escalator accidents. Escalators are responsible for an extensive 17,000 injuries every year.
Many of those people who are injured end up needing emergency medical treatment immediately following the incident. Studies show that escalators are more dangerous than elevators.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an escalator accident, the New York City escalator accident lawyers at the Lipsig Firm are here to help you claim damages for any injuries sustained. We can assist you in securing compensation as you navigate this difficult time.
What are Some Types of Escalator Accidents?
When interacting with a moving escalator, there are many types of injuries that can occur. Even when obeying the warning signs, making sure your shoes are tied, and behaving appropriately, accidents can still happen. Many injuries occur because of the following types of accidents:
Injuries from Falls
An escalator that suddenly stops can cause a passenger to stumble or stagger, leading to dangerous falls that can result in lasting injuries. A fall down an escalator can be exacerbated by the movement of the stairs. Falls might also occur:
- When a passenger gets on the escalator and tries to adjust to the moving steps
- When a passenger gets off the escalator and tries to adjust to solid ground
- When passengers walk on escalators
When people walk on escalators, whether going the “right way” or against the flow, they increase the chance of tripping and falling into someone else, partially because of the abnormally high rise of the escalator step. Tripping and falling into someone else can cause pain and injury, including broken bones or fractures. The danger of fingers, arms, legs, or other body parts or clothing getting stuck in the moving parts of an escalator increases during a fall.
Crushed Limbs
Even if escalators are properly maintained at all times, they still run the risk of delivering crushing injuries to unsuspecting users. Because of the constant nature of the escalator, body parts can get stuck and pulled into the moving mechanisms. Fingers, hands, and arms are easy to get stuck in the moving parts. Soft shoes, dangling clothing, and shoelaces have also been known to get caught in escalators.
If any limb or piece of clothing gets caught in an escalator, it’s possible that a body part may wind up getting crushed. These injuries are often severe to the point of catastrophic. Sometimes, they are even fatal. At the very least, many injuries where people get their limbs or clothing stuck in an escalator require a visit to the emergency room. In severe cases, the loss of a limb, either from the escalator itself or from needing amputation because of the severity of the injury, is possible.
Head and Neck Injuries
While head and neck injuries can be sustained through impact during falls on or off an escalator, another way that they can occur is through strain. Hair or loose clothing like scarves can get caught in the moving parts of an escalator, leading to strain on the head or neck. If hair is caught in an escalator, the torque of the movement can be damaging to the spinal cord, resulting in a severe injury. Other bodily damages, including abrasions, can also occur.
What are Some Common Causes of Escalator Accidents?
The causes of escalator accidents vary across each situation. The most common causes of escalator accidents are:
- Improper maintenance
- Improper signage and warnings about the dangers of escalators
- Inadequate escalator repairs
- Inadequate testing of the escalator
- Faulty parts within the escalator unit
The above list of causes is never the fault of you, the user of the escalator.
Escalator accidents may also be caused by other escalator passengers in the following situations:
- Tripping or falling into someone else
- Someone running past/pushing/shoving or otherwise bumping into someone else
- Improper use of or careless behavior on the escalator
- Someone blocking the escalator entrance or exit
- People using the escalator in the wrong direction
- Someone trying to “stop” or jam something into the escalator
Who is Responsible for Escalator Accidents?
The owner of the property where the escalator is located is responsible for the maintenance, repair, signage, and testing of the escalator. If an escalator injury occurred because of the improper care of an escalator, the property owner may be liable and you may be entitled to compensation. In other cases, we might take on maintenance companies who were hired by the property owner if the resulting injury is from lack of or insufficient maintenance on their behalf.
If the injury was caused by another person interacting in an unsafe manner with the escalator and you were injured as a result, you may also be able to receive a settlement for damages or injuries.
As is usual in most personal injury cases in New York, you have three years from the date of the injury to file a claim. Though this may seem like plenty of time, you’ll want to speak to our escalator accident and personal injury attorneys at the Lipsig Firm immediately so we can work with our team to discover and verify the possible causes of the escalator malfunction.
Contact the New York City Escalator Accident Lawyers at The Lipsig Firm
The qualified attorneys New York City Escalator Accident Lawyers at the Lipsig Firm are here to answer your questions and help you with your case. We’ll take on property owners all across New York City on your or a loved one’s behalf for injuries sustained from faulty, damaged, or inoperable escalators.
We offer a free consultation for victims of escalator accidents. We don’t accept a cent until a settlement is reached for your injuries, and we’re here to answer any of your questions about your case. Call us at 212-285-3300 or contact us online to speak with a New York City escalator accident attorney.
