Elevators have become a regular part of most Americans’ lives. While elevator accidents are rare, they are often catastrophic. If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in an elevator accident, it may be worth contacting our Las Vegas premises liability lawyer.
At H&P Law, we can help you secure the compensation you deserve. An experienced Las Vegas personal injury lawyer can help you navigate the complexities of premises liability. We have years of experience protecting the rights of injury victims.
Common Types of Elevator Accidents
Elevator accidents are rare. While national organizations do not track elevator-related injuries unless they are sustained in an occupational capacity, a recent report shows nearly 10,000 people are injured due to elevator accidents yearly. Of those, 15.3% are due to mechanical failure.
Additional causes of elevator accidents in Las Vegas include:
- Mechanical malfunction
- Misleveling/floor misalignment
- Door malfunction
- Maintenance errors
- Sudden drops
There are many ways that an elevator ride can lead to injury. More dangerous malfunctions might be mechanical malfunctions that lead to a sudden drop or doors inappropriately closing or opening. If a door does not open when something is in the way or closes when it is not supposed to, this can result in crush injuries. If there is a brake malfunction resulting in a sudden drop, this can cause significant spinal injuries or death.
Injuries from a Las Vegas Elevator Accident
Some injuries sustained in an elevator accident may be minor, while others can be life-altering and devastating. However, even small injuries can set you back and cause significant disruption. Something as small as a sprain can mean days or weeks out of work to allow time to heal and medical expenses for proper evaluation and treatment.
In more serious cases of broken bones or head injury, you could be looking at weeks or months in the hospital and a long recovery process at home with countless doctor’s appointments. In some cases, even if you do everything right, you may find yourself or a loved one needing more support in your day-to-day life than you did before the accident.
Emotional injury should not be ignored in situations like this. Any event of being trapped or being faced with the possible threat of death in an accident can be a triggering event for symptoms of depression or anxiety. If you begin experiencing these symptoms, it is essential to seek help and share them with your medical providers and our elevator accident attorney in Las Vegas.
Determining Fault in Your Las Vegas Elevator Accident
Determining fault in your elevator accident can be a challenging process. Property owners are held to standards for safe maintenance of the elevator. Parties typically found at fault in a Las Vegas elevator accident include:
- The maintenance crew: As stated in the safety link above, elevators are required to undergo regular inspections and maintenance. If the workers forgo inspections or repairs, they may be held liable for your injuries.
- The property owner: Most elevators are owned by a business entity. In the event of an elevator accident caused by negligence, the property owner may be held liable.
- The manufacturer of the elevator: When a mechanism or part malfunctions, it could be the result of a negligent manufacturer defect. Under product liability, the company that manufactures the elevator or the faulty part may be held responsible for the accident.
Depending on the circumstances of your case, there may be multiple parties at fault for your elevator accident. An experienced attorney can discuss the details of your claim and help you determine all liable parties. At H&P Law, our skilled legal team will work to strengthen your elevator accident claim.
Strengthening Your Elevator Accident Case
After your elevator accident, there are a few crucial steps to take other than calling an attorney. You should always seek medical attention to treat any present wounds and evaluate you for any that you may not notice immediately. Adrenaline is a powerful hormone that can shield the full effects of your injuries for hours after an injury, and some soft tissue injuries take time for inflammation to develop and reveal itself.
Getting photo documentation of the elevator and surrounding areas might be helpful. This can include the doors, buttons, rails inside, and the sticker showing the last inspection date. Doing this immediately after the accident can preserve valuable evidence proving that another party was at fault.
Your Las Vegas elevator attorney may advise you not to post about your accident on social media and to be cautious about posting at all. Doing this could give the impression that your injuries are not as bad as they seem or provide ammunition for opposing parties to instill doubt in your injury severity. Similarly, they may advise you not to sign any waiver and to have minimal conversation with any insurance companies or members of the other parties without talking to your attorney first.
Contact Our Elevator Accident Lawyer in Las Vegas Today
An elevator accident can be a traumatic and painful experience. You should not have to pay the price for someone else’s failure to do their job or maintain a safe building. Retaining our elevator accident lawyer in Las Vegas can give you time to focus on recovery while we are navigating negotiations and possibly going to court fighting for the compensation you deserve.
You can reach out at any time for a free case consultation. These are confidential and can give you an idea of what to expect. We are also available to provide services in Spanish.
