New York City Elevator Accident Lawyer Near You– Gregory Spektor & Associates, P.C.
New York City is known for its enormous skyscrapers and impressively large buildings. With buildings this tall, elevators must be utilized to ensure passengers can travel easily between floors. Though we would like to think that elevators are safe to ride, unfortunately, elevator accident claims continue to be a significant cause for concern.
Whether you suffer a fracture or a spinal cord injury, our law firm is here for you. An experienced New York elevator accident lawyer at Gregory Spektor & Associates, P.C. can offer you a free case evaluation and help you explore your opportunities for financial relief following your accident. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Get the help you need so you can move on. Contact our office today: (800) 318-8888.
Representing Elevator Accident Injury Victims in New York
Gregory Spektor & Associates, P.C. is a team of distinguished New York elevator accident attorneys that has extensive knowledge of New York State personal injury laws and has successfully recovered maximum compensation for its clients. Attorney Gregory Spektor, Esq. was also selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers and the top attorneys of North America in 2021–2022 by The Who’s Who Directory.
These awards and accolades attest to our skills, legal experience, and top-rated services. With a New York elevator accident lawyer fighting for your rights, you have your best opportunity to hold the liable party accountable and access the financial compensation you will need to cover your costs and start to rebuild your life.
Common Types of Elevator Accidents
Elevator and escalator accidents are not cut and dry. Many people assume elevator accidents simply involve getting stuck in an elevator. However, this is not always the case. In fact, there are some instances in which New York elevator accident lawyers may be necessary to ensure accident victims get the justice they deserve when their injuries are the result of another party’s negligence.
Some of the most common types of NYC elevator accident cases a New York elevator accident attorney can handle may include:
- Stopping suddenly: An elevator’s control system is designed to move carefully through the elevator shaft. Passengers within elevators are not secured the same way as passengers in car accidents are with seatbelts. When an elevator system is malfunctioning or defective, the elevator can come to an abrupt stop, which may lead to passengers sustaining severe blunt force trauma, whiplash, or other injuries.
- Elevator shaft falls: When an elevator shaft is exposed, a NYC elevator injury can occur when individuals fall down the empty shaft. Victims most frequently suffer severe bodily injury or death when elevators stall above landings.
- Misleveling: Elevators may not always be perfectly aligned with the floor’s landing. When this happens, passengers exiting or entering the elevator may trip and fall and sustain injury.
- Doors closing on victims: One of the most catastrophic types of elevator accidents involves elevator doors closing on a passenger that is standing in the doorway. When elevator doors close, they can crush unsuspecting bystanders and cause life-threatening injuries, and in catastrophic cases, death.
Proving Liability in a New York Elevator Accident Case
Establishing liability in your NYC elevator accident claim may be more challenging than you may expect. Under New York State law, premises liability can be established in the following cases:
- When individuals enter a property as a guest or customer, the property owner has a responsibility to ensure your safety. If the owner fails to address or warn you about a known safety risk, which they should have reasonably been aware of, they may be considered negligent.
- Property owners are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that elevators on their premises are safe for use. Owners are required to perform regular inspections and elevator maintenance.
- Building owners and their managing agents have a responsibility to keep their premises, including elevators, in a safe and functional condition. This responsibility remains with the owner or managing agent, even if maintenance duties have been contractually assigned to another party.
Although there are multiple types of elevator accidents, a NYC personal injury attorney can conduct a thorough investigation and access the evidence they will need to prove that the defendant knew there was a problem with the elevator and failed to take action to protect passengers by placing hazard signs, making necessary safety repairs, or placing the elevator out of service for repairs, for example.
If you are seeking the help of a New York elevator accident lawyer, they must show the defendant’s actions were the proximate cause of your injuries or damages and that your injuries or losses have had a significant impact on your life in some way.
How Will a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me After a NYC Elevator Accident?
No one ever expects to suffer devastating injuries or be involved in an elevator accident. This type of accident may be one of the most terrifying and traumatic times in your life. On top of the emotional distress you have experienced, the financial implications of the accident and your physical injuries may turn your life upside down.
While you are coping with the fallout of your injuries, you may not have the energy or legal knowledge to pursue action against those responsible. Fortunately, when you have a New York elevator accident lawyer working for you, you can rest easier. Gregory Spektor & Associates, P.C. has experience handling all the intricacies of cases involving elevator accidents. These details may include:
- Determining who is at fault for the accident;
- Establishing whether you have grounds for a personal injury claim;
- Gathering compelling evidence to prove liability;
- Negotiating with insurance companies;
- Quantifying non-economic damages to calculate your claim’s value;
- Preparing to bring your elevator accident case to trial if the insurance company will not settle your claim fairly;
- Providing regular case status updates.
Who’s Liable For My NYC Elevator Accident?
Establishing liability for your elevator accident is essential if you hope to recover the proper compensation. The parties you can recover money from can include the following:
- Corporations;
- Property owners;
- Landlords;
- Building maintenance organizations;
- Government agencies and municipalities;
- Construction site contractors and subcontractors;
- Employers;
- Elevator installation companies;
- Elevator manufacturing companies;
- Manufacturers and designers of elevators;
- Property management companies;
- Homeowners associations;
- Retail stores;
- Elevator attendants;
- Building developers;
- Tenants;
- And other third parties.
These are only a few of the various entities that may share blame for the injuries you sustained. Through your New York elevator accident lawyer’s in-depth investigation into the cause of your elevator accident, they will uncover the identities of anyone and everyone who may have played a part in causing your injuries.
Do not be surprised if multiple parties are found to share blame. This liability split may complicate your case, but it may also increase the likelihood that you will be able to maximize your financial compensation.
Common Causes of Elevator Injuries
New York City has more elevators than nearly any other city across the United States, including Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other heavily populated cities. The number of elevator accidents and injuries are far more common in NYC. Despite the fact that property owners, the department of buildings management, and other professionals have an obligation to ensure the safety of these elevators, their failure to do so continues to result in devastating injuries and deaths.
Some of the most common causes of elevator accidents in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens include:
- Issues with leveling;
- Improper elevator servicing and maintenance;
- Open elevator shafts;
- Slip and fall accidents;
- Getting caught between or in an elevator’s moving parts;
- Defective wiring;
- Broken elevator doors;
- Elevators that freefall;
- Elevators getting stuck in between floors;
- Electrocution;
- Elevator passengers getting slammed into each other due to abrupt stops.
Common Elevator Injuries
Elevator accident injuries in NYC can take multiple forms. Some of the most common types of injuries our clients have suffered include:
- Neck injuries;
- Broken bones;
- Amputation due to severed limbs;
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs);
- Degloving injuries;
- Spinal cord injuries;
- Paralysis;
- Shoulder injuries;
- Facial trauma;
- Wrongful death.
If you were diagnosed with another type of injury that is not included in the list above, do not worry. Remember, it is not the type of injury you are diagnosed with that determines whether you have grounds for a claim. Your New York elevator accident attorney will carefully review your damages and the ways your life has been affected to determine whether you have the right to pursue a personal injury claim.
What Damages Are Available After a NYC Elevator Accident?
If you have suffered devastating injuries following an elevator accident, you may be entitled to total compensation for your losses.
Your New York elevator accident lawyer can help you get the most out of your claim. Some examples of the economic and non-economic damages that may be available in your case include:
- Permanent disability;
- Pain and suffering;
- Medical bills;
- Diminished earning potential;
- Loss of wages for employees;
- Rehabilitation expenses;
- Scarring and disfigurement;
- Loss of household services;
- Loss of enjoyment of life;
- Loss of consortium;
- Personal property damages.
Punitive damages may also be available in elevator accident and personal injury claims. However, New York civil courts do not award punitive damages easily. This is not a loss you have the right to recover, but a way for the civil court system to punish the defendant for malicious, intentionally harmful, reprehensible, or grossly negligent conduct.
With a compassionate and experienced New York elevator accident lawyer, they will be able to assess all the details of your case and provide you with the necessary resources and legal advice to explore your next steps.
Statute of Limitations for NYC Elevator Accident Cases
Time is limited to file your elevator accident claim in New York. According to New York Civil Practice Law & Rules Section 214, elevator accident claims and personal injury lawsuits must be filed within three years of the accident date. Failure to do so means you may be prohibited to file a lawsuit in civil court which could limit your ability to maximize your financial compensation.
However, there may be circ*mstances in place that can change the amount of time you have to file your claim. For example, if your minor child suffered injuries the statute of limitations may be halted until you discover the injuries or your child reaches the age of 18. Alternatively, if your accident happened in a building owned or manage by the City of New York or another municipal agency then you may only have as little as 90 days to file your claim!
You can find out the deadline to file your claim, and the applicable statute of limitations, when you discuss the specific circ*mstances of your case with an experienced New York elevator accident attorney at our firm today.
Consult an Elevator Injury Attorney Today
When you’re ready to fight for the compensation you deserve, but are unsure where to turn for help, be sure to connect with a dedicated and experienced New York elevator accident lawyer at Gregory Spektor & Associates, P.C.
The road to getting sound legal advice starts with us. Call us at (800) 318-8888 to schedule your 100% free consultation.
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