New Jersey Injury Attorney Blog

Five elevator mechanics were fired in connection with a December 14 fatal elevator accident in New York that proved fatal for a woman. According to an Associated Press news report, five elevator mechanics have been fired by Transel Elevator Inc for that incident after an investigation by the city Department of Investigation and the Department of Buildings. Officials say a key safety system had been overridden before the victim’s death. More specifically, the safety mechanism that prevents elevators from moving with the doors open had been disabled earlier that day. The workers have been accused of failing to follow the most basic safety procedures that could have saved the woman’s life.

Officials have also stripped the company’s co-owner’s license for failing to get the agency’s approval before resuming service after the repairs on the elevator that day. The company responsible for this accident maintains more than 2,500 elevators throughout the New York City.

There are currently an estimated 60,000 working elevators in New York City. In the year 2011, there were 43 reported incidents and 53 reported in the year 2010. Building owners, property managers, and elevator maintenance companies can be held liable for the injuries suffered by victims of elevator accidents. The family of a deceased elevator accident victim can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the maintenance company seeking damages.

The experienced New Jersey elevator accident lawyers at Lependorf & Silverstein handle all types of injury accidents. If you or a loved one has been hurt on someone else’s property, please call our premises liability attorneys at (609) 240-0040 for a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation.

A 41-year-old advertising executive was killed in an elevator accident after it rose as she was stepping in and crushed her. According to an ABC News report, the fatal accident occurred in a building between 40th and 41st streets on Madison Avenue in New York City. Officials say the woman was crushed on her way up to her office when the doors closed on her and pulled her upward into the shaft. The two occupants of the elevator, a 36-year-old woman and a man, were not injured. The cause of this fatal elevator accident has not been determined.

According to The Department of Buildings, the elevator was last inspected on June 16, 2011. The report also shows that the building has a history of violations including 56 violations since 2001, which were resolved.

ConsumerWatch.com has stated that approximately 27 people are killed each year in elevator accidents in the United States. Any time someone is killed in an elevator accident, it must be determined if there was a product defect or some type of mechanical malfunction that caused it. Was the building up to code? Was the elevator properly maintained and serviced? What could have prevented the accident?

In cases involving negligence, the building owner or management company can be held liable for the injuries suffered in the accident. To receive compensation for a New Jersey premises liability case, an experience attorney can help an injured victim or a deceased victim's family hold the at-fault party accountable for their losses.

The skilled New Jersey elevator accident attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein have a proven track record of handling premises liability claims including elevator and escalator accidents and slip-and-fall accidents. If you or a loved one has been hurt on someone else's property, please call our offices at (609) 240-0040 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

Elevator accidents are rare, but can be catastrophic or even fatal when they do occur. It is the duty and responsibility of property owners and property managers to properly maintain their elevators so they are safe for people to use. Unfortunately, it is common for negligent property owners to put visitors and their own residents in danger by failing to properly and diligently maintain their elevators.

Any time a New Jersey elevator accident occurs, there are a number of questions that must be asked. Did the accident involve a mechanical failure that could have been prevented through proper maintenance? Was the property owner notified about safety issues concerning the elevator? Were there signs of a malfunction that went ignored? Did the property manager fail to warn visitors of a malfunctioning elevator that needed repair?

In cases where property owner negligence is involved, injured victims can file a premises liability claim to receive compensation for losses such hospital bills, lost wages, and medical expenses. Proving negligence is critical for a successful premises liability claim. An experienced premises liability lawyer will be able to examine maintenance records and interview both workers and property managers in order to prove fault and negligence.

The knowledgeable Princeton personal injury lawyers at Lependorf & Silverstein have years of experience successfully handling premises liability claims, particularly elevator accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured in an elevator accident caused by a negligent property owner, property manager, or superintendent, please call our offices at (609) 240-0040 for a free consultation.