Philadelphia Products Liability Attorney Discusses What to Do if Injured by an Escalator or Elevator

By Arthur L. Bugay, Esquire

The trip to the mall wasn’t supposed to be like this.  Going up the escalators to the second floor, she held on to the hand rail.  But, it stopped while the escalator stairs kept moving.  By the time she realized this was happening, she was already far off balance and fell backwards and suffered serious injuries.  Such accidents happen more often than one would think; it was the second accident on that escalator that day.  But the large department store kept it in service.  They did not even call the escalator service company until the next day.

Elevator and escalator accidents “kill about 30 and seriously injure about 17,000 people each year in the United States, according to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.” McCann, Zaleski, “Deaths and Injuries Involving Elevators and Escalators”, The Center to Protect Workers’ Rights (2006).

These are “people-moving” devices.  Those who provide them have a high duty of care to their passengers in Pennsylvania.  They often attempt to delegate such duties to specialists pursuant to a maintenance contract.  However, such agreements do not insulate the owner from potential liability for injuries that occur due to mechanical failure, malfunction, or poor designs.

Elevator and escalator cases are complex matters because they combine the technical aspects of product design with the law of negligence for premises injuries.  If you or someone you know is injured while using an escalator or elevator, you should contact counsel experienced in handling these matters.  At Galfand Berger, our attorneys represent people injured in such accidents.  Our depth in products liability litigation, combined with our expertise representing people injured in premises accidents, has proven to be a winning combination for our injured clients.

Galfand Berger Attorneys: Experienced Lawyers Handling Escalators and Elevator Accidents in Pennsylvania & New Jersey

The personal injury attorneys at Galfand Berger understand the complexities of premises liability cases involving dangerous “people-moving” equipment.  We have handled numerous cases involving property owners’ failure to maintain such equipment in a safe condition. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving an escalator or elevator, contact the experienced, knowledgeable Pennsylvania products liability lawyers at Galfand Berger to discuss your right to pursue compensation for your injuries. With offices in Philadelphia, Bethlehem and Reading, Pennsylvania, we are conveniently located to serve the Lehigh Valley region.  Call us today at 1-800-222-USWA (8792) or contact us online.