Common Escalator Injuries: Falls

Falls can happen on either elevators or escalators, but types of falls will vary based on the device you are using. On this page, I want to discuss falls that a person might experience on an escalator. There are a few different types of falls that are common with escalators. If you or a loved one were injured in a fall, you can learn more here.

Falling Backwards on the Escalator

There are two major types of falls related to escalators. The first is falls that occur on the escalator itself. This type of fall generally happens if a person on the escalator trips or loses their balance. They might fall backwards on the escalator. A fall of this nature might result in a head or neck injury, or broken bones.

Falling backwards on an escalator can also cause injury to other people. If a person fell into you, you might also lose your balance and fall backwards. You could be crushed by a person falling on top of you, or experience injuries such as broken bones, bruises, head trauma, or back injuries. In especially bad situations, an initial fall might cause a domino effect on the escalator and multiple people might fall backwards into each other. In this situation, it can be difficult to determine what caused the initial fall and who is at fault.

Falling Off the Escalator

The other common type of fall on escalators is when a person falls off of the side of the escalator. This might happen if there is no guardrail, or if the guardrail is not properly maintained. Maybe it is not tall enough to support a person riding on the elevator. Or, maybe it has come loose.

Falling off the side of an escalator can have serious consequences. The drop could be just a few feet, but it could also range to being hundreds of feet from the ground. Such a fall could result in broken bones, head, back, or neck injuries, paralysis, or even death. Because of this, these falls can be very serious. The cause of the fall should be investigated and identified in order to help the victim.

Getting Help

Any type of fall on an escalator can be very serious. It is important to determine if a malfunction caused the accident. For example, the person who fell may have tripped over loose debris or lost their balance because of sudden acceleration or deceleration of the escalator. Alternatively, a loose or inadequate guardrail could contribute to a fall.

Once you determine what caused the fall, you need to determine who is responsible for the issue. The responsible party might be a person, or it might be a company. Figuring this out will help in the event of a lawsuit. If you were injured along with other people as a result of a fall, you might want to consider filing a joint lawsuit or a class action lawsuit. These are options that you should discuss with an attorney. If you would like to discuss your case with an attorney, contact my office for further assistance. One of our attorneys will be happy to review your situation, answer your questions, and help you determine the best course of action.