Common Reasons for Elevator Injuries: Sudden Drops
Sudden elevator drops can be one of the scariest things that you can experience while in an elevator. Sudden drops can lead to serious injuries for passengers, and should be avoided at all costs. If you were involved in a sudden elevator drop and got injured as a result of this, you might want to know what happened and where to go from here. On this page, you can learn more about common injuries from sudden drops, as well as what could cause an elevator to malfunction in this way. Having this information can be useful if you want to move forward with a personal injury lawsuit.
Common Injuries
As previously mentioned, sudden drops can be very serious. They can lead to a large impact on the body that can result in serious injuries. If an elevator suddenly and quickly changes directions (usually dropping, but sometimes shooting up too quickly) a few common injuries might be:
- Fractured skull
- Traumatic brain injury
- Broken or sprained bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Asphyxiation
- Decapitation
As you can see, these are very serious injuries. A sudden drop could even result in death. If you or a loved one was seriously injured because of a sudden drop, it is a good idea to contact an attorney and to try to recover damages. In many cases, you will be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Sudden Drop Causes
In most cases, a sudden drop or rise of an elevator car is the result of some kind of malfunction. Physical equipment could break or become damaged. Alternatively, there could be an electric or mechanical issue that mixes the signals in the elevator and causes a sudden movement in one direction.
Who is responsible for these issues? The elevator manufacturer is responsible for making sure that all of the parts are created properly and will function as they are supposed to. If any equipment is faulty, the manufacturer is responsible.
It is the responsibility of the elevator service company to install and maintain the equipment. If the elevator is not put together correctly, this is the fault of the inspection team. In addition, improper repairs or maintenance are the fault of the service company. Over time, an elevator might not work as well as it used to. Equipment can break over time or other issues can occur. The service company should prevent these issues.
Finally, it is the elevator owner’s job to make sure that the elevator is up to code. They should schedule repairs and maintenance with the elevator service company to make sure that the elevator works as it is supposed to.
Getting Help
If you sustained a serious injury in a sudden elevator drop, you need to get the compensation that you deserve. It is likely that someone else is at fault for your injury. To determine who that is and how to get compensation, contact my office. Alternatively, if you have a loved one who died as a result of a sudden elevator drop, your family can receive compensation to help you heal. If you would like to learn more about wrongful death or personal injury cases, contact us.
