According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, each year approximately 17,000 people are severely injured and tens of people are killed in the U.S. in incidents related to elevators and escalators. The vast majority of those injured or killed in such incidents are workers who are installing or maintaining elevators.

Elevator installers and mechanics sometimes fall into improperly guarded elevator shafts; are caught in between elevators or the elevators and the elevator shafts; are electrocuted; or have objects fall on them while they are working in a shaft.

Passengers are also occasionally injured by elevators or escalators; thousands of people require hospitalization for such injuries in the U.S. every year. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that at least 10% of the injuries to escalator passengers result from clothing or other items (such as shoelaces) becoming entrapped between the escalator’s parts. Small children are most frequently the victims of such incidents.

Injuries related to elevators and escalators may occur when such devices are improperly designed, installed, maintained, or inspected. If those injuries were caused by someone’s negligence or by a defective product, the injured person may pursue compensation from the negligent parties or from the manufacturers or suppliers of the product involved. In addition, in New York the Labor Law provides additional protection for workers injured on construction sites, by holding owners and general contractors responsible if they don’t provide proper working conditions and training for their workers.

If you were injured in an accident involving an elevator or escalator, you may be able to receive compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more. You should discuss your situation as promptly as possible with a New York attorney with experience in personal injury and labor law.

At the Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, we are ready to get to work right away on your behalf. We take pride in providing prompt, caring, and effective representation.

For a free consultation, please call us toll free at (877) 313-7673, or email us at info@nroselaw.com.