NYC Elevator Accident Leaves Two Injured
Each year, about 27 people in the U.S. lose their lives in elevator accidents. Two construction workers in New York narrowly avoided adding their names to these statistics; unfortunately, they did join the 10,200 people each year who suffer injuries from elevator accidents. It is unknown at this time if the workers plan to consult New York premises liability lawyers with regard to filing a claim against the property owners, managers, or the construction company.
The elevator accident occurred in a Manhattan apartment building in Greenwich Village. Earlier in August, the unidentified individuals were working on a project to renovate 12 apartments in a building. The construction workers had opened up the ceiling hatch in the elevator car to transfer pipes. Reportedly, the pipes became entangled in the cables and the cables snapped, dropping the elevator half a floor. This elevator accident in New York could have been much worse. The elevator car became wedged between the eighth and ninth floors; otherwise, it could have dropped much further and caused even more serious injuries. It took rescue workers an hour to free the two men, after which they were taken to Bellevue Hospital Center. They were reportedly treated for minor injuries.
Tenants note frequent malfunctions
A tenant on the third floor informed reporters that she heard a loud noise when the accident occurred. The reverberations of the accident were significant enough to move her computer across her desk. The tenant went on to note that the accident did nothing to calm her concerns about the building’s elevators, which are known to break down with regularity. Other tenants substantiated this claim, noting that the equipment often breaks down and tenants frequently become trapped in the elevators.
A check of the records on the building reveals that since 2006, the building has had 10 open elevator violations. Authorities issued three of those violations this year alone and one of those violations was issued only a couple of months prior to this latest elevator accident.
How NY premises liability lawyers can help
The New York premises liability lawyers at The Sanders Firm have over four decades of experience representing clients who have been hurt because of a property owner’s negligence. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries as a result of an elevator accident, consider scheduling a no-obligation consultation with one of our The Sanders Firm.
Our legal team will thoroughly investigate your case to determine who may be held at fault for the accident. Your legal options may include filing a NY personal injury lawsuit against the owner of the building or the property manager.
If you choose to go forward with a premises liability lawsuit, you may be able to recover compensation for your medical expenses, ongoing care needs, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and emotional anguish. However, time is limited to file a claim. Avoid letting the statute of limitations expire by contacting our law firm today at 1-800-FAIR-PLAY. Resources
- CBS New York, 2 Injured In West Village Elevator Accident, https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/08/06/2-injured-in-west-village-elevator-accident/
- DNA Info, 2 People Hurt After Elevator Plummets in Greenwich Village, Officials Say, https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140806/greenwich-village/2-people-trapped-after-elevator-falls-several-floors-officials-say
- ConsumerWatch.com, Elevators, https://www.consumerwatch.com/workplacepublic/elevators
