The California Market Center is billed as the premier West Coast location for the fashion industry and cutting-edge creative events and offices. The stores in this mall include names like Edgemine, Molo, Lucky Brand, Paige, Eighty Eight Brand, and many eco, organic, and European brands for everyone in the family. So even if you are not shopping for an item or a new wardrobe, a trip to California Market Center could be on your agenda, just for the entertainment value.
But it is critical for guests to understand that the latest fashion is not the only claim to fame for California Market Center. This venue is also well-known for an excessively high number of injury accidents suffered by shoppers. The safety hazards range from wet floors or damaged handrails to potentially dangerous issues like a California Market Center escalator injury. Sadly, these devices that can be found in many buildings in the city to assist consumers in navigating the large buildings surrounding them can present many safety concerns. In the worst cases, the injuries suffered at California Market Center are life-altering or even life-threatening.
If you have recently visited California Market Center to explore the shops, take in an event, or enjoy a meal only to suffer an injury on a California Market Center escalator, please understand that the staff at Normandie Law Firm is here to provide the information you need to make a wise choice about seeking compensation for your damages and losses. Our team can be reached 24/7 to ensure you have the information you need to decide on medical care and other critical services to help you fully recover from your injuries or as complete a recovery as possible.
Please get in touch with Normandie Law Firm today to request a free consultation with a seasoned and successful California Market Center escalator injury attorney to discuss the details of your incident and determine if you have grounds for a California Market Center escalator injury lawsuit to seek the compensation you deserve for all you have endured.
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What Makes Escalators So Hazardous?
When you think of an escalator, the image is simply of a set of moving steps that you ride from one floor of a structure to another. You see these devices in shopping malls, sports venues, and office buildings. And they appear to be a safe option for climbing countless steps. However, that is not always the case, even though minimal safety warnings or signs are placed on these highly complex mechanical transportation devices.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 10,000 people each year are injured on escalators with damage severe enough to require emergency medical care. The cause of these injuries can vary from damage to the unit to a lack of maintenance and care. But the issue remains, consumers can suffer severe injuries due to these common and very preventable issues associated with escalators:
- Steps are missing or damaged
- The handrail is damaged or unstable and does not offer vital support for the user
- Small screws or other hardware are loose or missing
- The comb platform at the ends of the escalator is damaged or missing
- The unit has shifted, and there is too large a gap between the stairs and the side of the escalator
- The escalator suddenly stops or changes direction
- The escalator jams, and the steps no longer provide a stable surface for users, or the steps flatten
All of these issues can result in a user falling a great distance on the sharp and angular steps, getting dragged along the unit’s wall, or getting body parts stuck in the moving parts of the escalator. The results of these incidents are typically catastrophic injury for the victim that results in months, years, or a lifetime of pain and costly medical care.
Common Escalator Accident Injuries
Tripping and falling or slipping and falling at the end of an escalator ride is likely to cause the least severe injuries suffered in an escalator accident. Scrapes and bruises are the best case, while a fractured bone or joint dislocation is among the more serious injuries the victim might endure. However, there is a long list of far more significant injuries that could occur in a California Market Center escalator accident, including:
- Shattered bones
- Compound fractures
- Severe lacerations and puncture wounds that could include damage to internal organs or internal bleeding
- Injuries to the back, neck, or spinal cord
- Amputation of fingers, toes, or other body parts
- Facial injuries to the nose, eyes, ears, mouth, or facial skin
- Head injuries, including a concussion, skull fracture, brain hemorrhage, brain contusion, or other traumatic brain injury
Sadly, some escalator injury victims suffer a lifetime of pain or even succumb to their injuries. In most cases, all that was needed to prevent these senseless injuries or the loss of life was professional maintenance, inspections, and care of the units to ensure the safety of those using them.
The Legal Responsibility Of California Market Center
Under duty of care and premises liability law, property, and business owners are required to provide a basic level of care and maintenance to their property to ensure the safety of guests. By definition, the owners or their representatives must provide the same level of care as the average prudent person.
In the case of escalator care and maintenance, the average person would not have the skills to service or inspect them. However, the same could be said for the HVAC system in the average person’s home. In the case of the HVAC system, the average person would routinely call a professional to inspect and service these technical systems in their home. And the same is expected of the management staff at California Market Center.
In California, escalators used in a commercial setting must pass an inspection every two years. And that inspection report is publicly available. If the management of California Market Center was not providing the routine inspections and service required to keep the escalators in safe working order, they could be found negligent in their duty of care. If that negligence caused or contributed to a guest suffering an escalator accident injury, then California Market Center could be liable for the victim’s losses and expenses.
Who Else Could Be Liable For California Market Center Escalator Injuries?
In addition to the management company, which is required to provide a safe escalator for the patron, other parties could share in the liability for your California Market Center escalator injuries. The manufacturer could be responsible for your losses if the escalator were defective. In addition, if the unit was installed improperly, the installation company could be to blame. Finally, the company providing the inspections and repairs or service of the escalator could also be responsible if damage to the unit is determined to be the cause of your injuries.
The expert California Market Center escalator accident injury attorneys at Normandie Law Firm are here to provide a full professional evaluation of your injury incident to determine the legal merit of the claim. If you have grounds to sue any parties or someone else who caused your escalator injuries, our pros will advise you of your rights and how to move forward with a California Market Center escalator accident injury lawsuit.
How Much Is My California Market Center Escalator Lawsuit Worth?
The value of your escalator injury lawsuit claim will be based primarily on the expenses and losses you suffered due to your injuries. Typically, you will work with the experts at Normandie Law Firm to compile allowable costs that include:
- All current and future medical expenses related to the injuries sustained in the California Market Center escalator incident
- The value of any personal property damaged or destroyed in the incident at California Market Center
- Your lost income if your injuries prevented you from returning to your job after the incident
- Legal fees and expenses from Normandie Law Firm for the preparation, filing, and litigation of your California Market Center escalator injury lawsuit
If your injuries were severe and required significant recovery time, you can also request compensation for your pain and suffering. You and your legal team will determine this amount based on previous cases they handled with similar circumstances to ensure you receive the most robust settlement or verdict possible.
You Deserve The Best California Market Center Escalator Injury Attorney
It is wise to contact Normandie Law Firm as soon after your escalator injury accident as possible. You have only two years from the date of the incident to file your claim with the court or risk losing the right to seek compensation. Our team will evaluate the claim and let you know immediately if you have grounds to sue. This allows the most time possible to prepare a case to secure the compensation you deserve for your injuries and expenses.
In addition, when you hire Normandie Law Firm to handle your California Market Center escalator injury lawsuit, we require no upfront legal fee or expense payments. Instead, we only get paid for our work after getting you the settlement or verdict funds needed to cover your expenses and other costs due to your injuries. And you owe us nothing if we fail to win your California Market Center escalator injury lawsuit. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Normandie Law Firm today to learn more about our caring team and how they will strive to protect your right to a stable and secure financial future.
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