Escalator accidents may seem rare, but they can happen more frequently than one may think. These preventable incidents often lead to crushing wounds, amputations, head trauma, and other major harm with lifelong implications. A Henderson escalator accident lawyer can pursue possible maximum compensation by demonstrating how hazardous conditions, defective designs, or negligent maintenance caused permanent disabilities.
Understanding your legal options and rights for potential physical recovery and financial security is important. Documenting injuries early, collecting accident evidence promptly, proving liability thoroughly, and negotiating aggressively are all keys to possible success. A Henderson premises liability lawyer at H&P Law can help make sure you file your claim properly.
What to Do After an Escalator Accident
Contact a Henderson personal injury lawyer as soon as possible so they can launch an investigation, preserve evidence, and advise you on the best legal options based on the specific details of your case. A lawyer can also manage communication with insurance companies and negotiate a fair settlement.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an escalator accident, it is important to remain calm and take action to protect your health and legal rights. The first step of your personal injury case on a premises is to immediately seek any necessary medical attention, even for injuries that may seem minor at first. Documenting your injuries early on can make a significant difference later.
Next, collect as much evidence as possible from the scene. Make sure to include photos of hazards, safety signs, the escalator model and serial number, and contact info of any witnesses. Written statements from witnesses can also help show exactly what happened.
Types of Escalator Accidents
Escalator accidents can happen in a variety of ways and lead to serious injuries. Some of the most common types of escalator accidents include entrapments, falls, objects getting caught, and escalator malfunctions. Specific types of accidents include the following:
- Entrapment: Shoes, clothing, or body parts getting caught in cracks or edges in the escalator steps, sides, bottom comb plate, or landing. This can cause severe crushing injuries.
- Falls: Tripping on uneven escalator steps or loose parts leads to bad falls. Falling can also happen due to irregular speed changes.
- Objects caught: Strollers, walkers, wheelchairs, and other objects getting pulled into escalator parts and damaging equipment or passengers.
Regardless of the specific accident type, escalators contain many hazardous pinch points and openings that can catch on clothing and human body parts. Poor maintenance also often contributes to loose, broken, and uneven steps that commonly cause accidents. An attorney can determine liability based on the particular deficiencies that caused your serious injuries.
Common Injuries from an Escalator Accident
Escalator accidents often lead to very serious and disabling injuries that require extensive, expensive medical treatment over months or years. Crush injuries are some of the most common because body parts can easily get trapped in cracks, gaps, or uneven parts. These frequently lead to deep lacerations, broken bones, severed tendons or nerves, and even amputations.
Head trauma is also a prevalent injury if riders hit their head on escalator parts. This can cause mild concussions to severe traumatic brain injuries with life-altering consequences. Back and neck injuries like herniated discs or spinal cord damage commonly result from awkward landings after falls.
It is also important to watch out for infections, scar tissue problems, and complications that develop later. Ongoing physical therapy and additional surgeries may also be necessary. An escalator accident lawyer in Henderson can potentially help you recover both economically and non-economically.
Important Documents to Prove Your Case
If you were injured in an escalator accident, certain documents are crucial for demonstrating liability and obtaining the full compensation you deserve. Medical records that show diagnosis, treatment plans, and prognosis are essential to quantify economic damages like medical bills and lost wages. These also validate non-economic claims for physical pain and emotional distress.
Photo and video evidence revealing hazardous escalator parts or conditions that caused the accident help prove negligence claims. Witness statements in writing or affidavits strengthen the case by collaborating on accident details. Records of prior escalator repairs and maintenance requests indicate the property owner’s awareness of unsafe conditions.
The specific manufacturer name, product specifications, warning signs, operating manual, and service records should be gathered as well. An escalator accident attorney in Henderson knows how to locate these materials or work with a specialist and construct a compelling argument for liability based on product defects or failures to uphold safety codes. Time is crucial as you collect relevant evidence after an escalator accident.
Potential Investigations for the Escalator Accident
After a serious escalator accident, several types of investigations may be warranted to uncover unsafe conditions and determine liability. Your attorney will likely hire professional investigators to inspect the escalator model thoroughly, manufacturer warnings, installation specifications, and property maintenance records. They scrutinize every component to identify defects in parts, improper repairs, lack of safety features, or negligence.
Independent medical examinations (IME) by specialist doctors often follow to precisely evaluate the injuries sustained and their long-term implications. These IME reports validate the full extent of damages and counter-defense arguments claiming preexisting health issues caused injuries and disabilities. Surveillance of daily activity levels also helps dispute unreasonable claims that health problems are exaggerated.
Depositions of eyewitnesses, first responders, property managers, and escalator service technicians can also shed light on accident contributing factors and degree of negligence. Attorneys use information uncovered through varied investigations to negotiate fair settlements or win just compensation in court if needed. A thorough investigation lays the foundation for strong escalator accident claims.
Work with a Henderson Escalator Accident Attorney
If you experienced an injury in an escalator accident, the Henderson escalator accident lawyers at H&P Law are ready to help. We provide compassionate guidance so you can focus on healing while aggressively pursuing fair compensation for you from start to finish. Contact our office today for a free consultation to discuss the details of your escalator accident, evaluate your legal options, and get answers to all your questions.
