Regardless of where you work, live or visit in New York City, there is virtually no way to avoid boarding an elevator from time to time. And if you frequent any of the city’s many towering skyscrapers, elevators are one of your chief forms of transportation. The height of these buildings makes it impracticable or even impossible to use the stairs to get to your desired floor.
Typically, elevators will get you where you need to go with no problems. However, sometimes an elevator may experience technical issues which can cause accidents. So if you have been involved in an elevator-related incident in which you suffered an injury, you may be wondering if you can seek compensation by filing a lawsuit against the property owner or other responsible party.
Well, there are several scenarios in which you could file a successful lawsuit. For example, let’s say you were riding on an elevator that suddenly went into freefall and then came to a jerking stop, causing you to suffer a life-altering injury. You may be able to claim that the owners or managers of the building failed to maintain the elevator properly. You may even be able to file a suit against the company that was responsible for servicing the elevator for not fixing or detecting a problem.
And depending on the circumstances, you may be able to receive compensation if you were stuck in a stalled elevator and your experience caused you demonstrable emotional distress. Likewise, if you were traumatized by witnessing a particularly disturbing accident involving an elevator, you may have grounds for a lawsuit.
Building owners, property managers, and elevator maintenance companies all have a share in making sure that elevators are safe for passengers. If you or a family member has suffered harm due to a malfunctioning elevator, a New York premises liability attorney may be able to help you seek damages. The attorney can assess the accident and provide assistance and representation as you pursue appropriate compensation.