Escalator Injury Accident Claim

Escalators move people between floors – they consist of a motor-driven chain of linked steps cycle on tracks. They are common in shopping malls, department stores, airports, railway or railroad stations, hotels, stadiums/arenas, convention centers, and even amusement parks. Although escalators are most commonly found inside buildings, they are also found outdoors.

Most people have been on escalators multiple times. Most people have done so without any incidents. However, escalator accidents can occur and lead to devastating injuries. Were you or a member of your family involved in an escalator accident? Depending on the details surrounding the incident, severe injuries could have occurred – the incident could have also been fatal.

Regardless of the specific situation, you might have grounds to sue for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered. If you would like to learn more about your right to take legal action for the harm resulting from an escalator incident, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm as soon as possible.

At Normandie Law Firm, our lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with the guidance that you need to reach a successful claim outcome. Our personal injury accident lawyers have many years of experience handling all sorts of injury claims – including escalator injury claims. When you contact our firm and request to speak with our experts, you can trust that our experts will provide you with absolutely all the information that you need to hold the at-fault party or entity accountable for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered.

If you are ready to discuss your right to sue with the experts at our firm, contact our law firm as soon as possible.

Types of Incidents

Escalator incidents are often considered to be some of the most devastating incidents. Most people are aware of the risk of clothing or other items becoming entangled with the moving escalators, resulting in limbs becoming entrapped/crushed by the escalator. However, these types of incidents are rare compared with other incidents. Consider some of the following common types of escalator incidents:

• Jerking
• Sudden stop
• Sudden starts and stops
• Moving too fast

All of these incidents can cause the parties on the escalators to jolt forward or backwards, falling on top of others, or on the sharp edges of the escalator steps. Regardless of the specific type of incident, victims could suffer significant harm. Some of the harm that victims could suffer include head injuries, traumatic brain injuries, facial injuries, cranial fractures, whiplash, neck injuries, back injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken arms/legs, broken wrists/ankles, sprains/strains, lacerations, scrapes, and bruises, for example.

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The Causes of Escalator Incidents

If an escalator jerks, suddenly stops, suddenly starts and stops, or moves too fast, an incident could occur that could significantly harm unsuspecting victims. Why do these incidents occur? Some of the common causes of escalator incidents include the following:

• Negligence of property owner – property owners fail to identify an issue with their escalator and do not block or stop the escalator to prevent guests from using it
• Negligence of manufacturer – companies manufacture defective escalators and release them to unknowing consumers
• Negligence of installers – the companies that install escalators fail to do so properly according to all safety guidelines and installation instructions
• Negligence of mechanics – the mechanics responsible for addressing mechanical issues can fail to address issues correctly and actually create additional issues

Understanding Liability for Escalator Incidents

Do I have a case? Can I sue? After the escalator incident, you might be asking yourself many questions, some of which could also include the following:

• Who can I sue if the escalator jerked resulting in injuries?
• Can I file a lawsuit if an escalator’s sudden stop caused my accident and my injuries?
• Do I have a case if there was a sudden start and stop while I was on the escalator?
• Can I sue if the escalator moved too fast resulting in injuries?

It can sometimes be complicated to determine whether you have a case or who you could sue after being involved in an accident. To understand whether you have grounds to file a case (and who you could pursue your claim against), you must have a thorough understanding of liability.

What is liability? Liability is defined as the state of being responsible for something – such as the harm that a party suffers. Liability is typically based on negligence. That is, a party or entity owes a duty of care; they have the duty to keep others safe. The party or entity can breach the duty of care towards others, failing to identify and address any hazards. The breach of duty could, in turn, contribute to an incident which could directly lead to harm. When the harm that a victim suffers is directly correlated to a breached duty of care, the victim could pursue a claim.

Who is liable for your escalator incident? There are multiple parties/entities that could be liable for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered in an escalator incident. These parties include the following: property owners, escalator manufacturers and installers (which are often the same company), and escalator mechanics, for example. All of these parties have a specific duty of care. For instance, property owners must ensure that their entire premises are safe for guests; if there is an issue with an escalator, they must block it off immediately to prevent further use and schedule a repair to address the issue quickly. Likewise, escalator manufacturers have the duty to ensure that their products are free of any defects; escalator installers have the duty to ensure that they install the product safely and efficiently. Also, escalator mechanics must ensure that they address the issues present in the escalators and do not create additional issues while they are trying to fix something else.

If you are interested in learning more about establishing liability and your right to pursue a claim for the harm that you or a member of your family suffered due to an escalator incident, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm as soon as possible.

You Can Recover Compensation

Based on the details surrounding your escalator incident, you could be eligible to sue and recover monetary compensation. What type of compensation could you recover? Depending on the facts surrounding your claim, you could recover compensation for some of the following:

• Medical expenses
• Lost earnings
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive damages

If you would like to learn more about the type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to receive if your claim is successful, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our firm as soon as possible. The escalator injury attorneys at our firm are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to reach a successful claim outcome and recover the compensation that you deserve. You can trust that our lawyers will fight for your right to recover the maximum amount of compensation available.

File Your Claim Within the Appropriate Deadline

If you are interested in pursuing an escalator injury claim, you must ensure that you file your claim quickly – as your claim is subject to a deadline. All personal injury claims, including escalator injury claims, are subject to a statute of limitations. A statute of limitations determines the total length of time that claimants have to file their claims. In general, personal injury claims – in the state of California – are subject to a two-year statute of limitations. This allows claimants only two years to pursue their claims. If claimants do not file their claims within the time allowed by the statute of limitations, claimants risk losing their right to sue. Although the statute of limitations establishes a strict deadline, it is important to note that exceptions could apply – exceptions that could toll or pause the statute of limitations.

If you would like to learn more about the statute of limitations that applies to your escalator injury claim, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our firm immediately. Our lawyers will help you file your claim on time.

What Should You Do?

After being harmed in an escalator incident, there are a number things that you should do to ensure that you can eventually pursue a claim. What should you do? Consider some of the following recommendations:

• Seek medical care immediately
• Take photos of all injuries suffered
• Take photos of the scene of the accident
• File an accident report with the appropriate party/entity
• Speak to any witnesses present at the time of the incident
• Gather all medical records
• Gather any records of property damage
• Gather any records of other damages resulting from the escalator incident
• Seek legal assistance as soon as possible

Contact Normandie Law Firm Today

Did you or a member of your family suffer harm in an escalator incident? If so, you might have grounds to sue. If you are interested in learning more about your right to sue, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm as soon as possible. The personal injury lawyers at Normandie Law Firm are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with the guidance that you need to reach a successful claim outcome. Would you like to discuss your claim with the escalator injury lawyers at our firm? If so, contact our firm today.

Our firm offers free legal services – which include free consultations and free second opinions. During our free consultations and free second opinions, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns; our lawyers will provide you with the information and guidance that you need to either begin or continue your personal injury claim for the escalator incident that you suffered. If you would like to benefit from our free legal services, do not hesitate to contact our firm today.

We offer a Zero-Fee guarantee, which ensures that our clients will never be required to pay upfront legal fees for any of our legal services. Our firm also offers a contingency structure, meaning that our clients will not have to pay anything until after reaching a successful claim outcome.

Are you ready to discuss your escalator injury claim with the experts at our firm? If so, contact us today.

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