- $59,318 Young Child Falls In Open Elevator Shaft
Premises Liability - $2,000,000 Confidential
Car Accident - $650,000 Defective Chair Causes Severe Neck Injury
Product Liability - $401,213 Client Discovers Uneven Floors At Their Newly Built Home
Construction Defect - $375,000 Young Client Bit On Her Lip By Neighbor’s Dog.
Dog Bite
Legal Advocates for People Injured in Charleston Elevators
Countless buildings in Charleston are equipped with elevators. These include hospitals, offices buildings, airports, malls, condominiums, hotels, and parking garages. Although we take it for granted that the elevators we use have been properly inspected and maintained, that is not always the case. Every year in the U.S. incidents involving elevators and escalators kill approximately 30 people and injure approximately 17,000, according to a report published in the Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety & Health (ELCOSH). If you have been injured in an elevator accident in Charleston, it is in your best interest to speak with an experienced Charleston premises liability attorney.
As a smaller client-focused firm, we treat clients as real people — not file numbers”
- Julian Allen
How Do Elevator Accidents Happen?
Elevator accidents can happen in various ways including:
- Falls into open elevator shafts
- Pulley equipment malfunction causing the elevator to drop rapidly within the shaft
- Trip and fall accidents when an elevator is misaligned with the floor
- Entrapment of clothing or a body part in an elevator door
- Electrical shock or malfunction of an elevator caused by faulty wiring
What Types of Injuries Are Sustained in Elevator Accidents?
Injuries in elevator accidents can range in severity from minor to fatal. People can be hurt by door strikes when sliding doors are defective. They can suffer falls or injury to the ankles, knees, or lumbar or cervical spine when a defective pulley system causes the elevator to move too fast or land too hard. Passengers exiting an elevator stopped more than three feet from a landing can fall into the shaft. Some possible types of elevator injuries include:
- Contusions and lacerations
- Bone fractures
- Soft tissue injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord damage
- Electrocution
- Death
What Are the Requirements for Elevator Maintenance?
Under South Carolina regulations, building owners need a permit and plans that meet certain specifications before a new elevator can be installed. Elevators must be inspected and tested before they are eligible for use. Property owners are responsible for regular inspection and maintenance of elevators to ensure they are safe for use by visitors.
Who Is Liable for Elevator Accidents in Charleston?
When an elevator accident causes injury or death, the property owner may be held liable if the accident was caused by negligent maintenance. If a design or manufacturing defect caused the equipment to fail, a manufacturer may be liable. If the elevator was improperly installed or improperly inspected, the negligent installer or inspector may be responsible for resulting injuries.
Do You Need a Lawyer After an Elevator Accident?
If you have been hurt in an elevator on someone else’s property, your best chance of recovering full and fair compensation for your injuries is to have an experienced Charleston personal injury lawyer handling your claim. Whether it was caused by negligent maintenance or a manufacturing defect, we can investigate your elevator accident to determine fault and liability and help you hold negligent parties accountable. We can assess the full extent of your losses, negotiate on your behalf for the compensation you deserve, and take your case to court if necessary.
Why Choose Us?
At Allen Law, we have extensive experience in personal injury matters. Founding attorney Julian Allen is a former insurance defense lawyer with insight into how the “other side” operates. He is a skilled negotiator and a seasoned trial lawyer with a history of success for his clients. He has been rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®, listed among Super Lawyers® Rising StarsSM, and awarded membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in an elevator accident, call us today at (843) 882-5005 to schedule a free consultation. We can explain your options under the law.