When these duties are neglected, and they are more than you would think, the liability for damages and injuries falls onto these parties under premise liability law.
Poor Property Management
One of the most common root-causes behind elevator accidents is poor property management. Often times, building owners or maintenance teams may choose to implement unsafe, temporary fixes in place of spending the extra money for professional service and repair. There have even been cases of elevator parts being held together with nothing more than simple household items. Accordingly, they tend to neglect their responsibility to provide proper elevator safety training for property managers and in-house maintenance staffs. This lack of knowledge, training, and attention can make an elevator and its surroundings extremely dangerous.
Without proper maintenance, an elevator is a risky means of transportation. Even the smallest issue can cause a serious or life-threatening accident. But regular maintenance is just the start to commercial elevator safety. Without proper safety training, property managers may not know how to react to an elevator emergency, which can also put a person’s life in danger. Elevators are manufactured with a series of built-in protective safety measures that kick in when an elevator mechanism fails.
For example, if an elevator suddenly stops at an improper place, there are set safety procedures that help prevent it from falling several stories. One of these safety features keeps the inner and outer elevator doors closed if it does not line up to a floor. Safety regulations instruct management to NOT open the doors in this case, and instead, wait for rescue or maintenance teams to repair the problem. But if property managers are unfamiliar with the correct safety procedures, they may choose to manually pry open thedoors, jeopardizing the safety of those inside.
Elevator accidents can also take place under several other conditions. Dim lighting, abrupt stops, quickly closing doors, slippery flooring, unleveled floor stops, frequent unnecessary stops, and much more. All of these issues can be managed and prevented with regular elevator maintenance. If you or someone you love was recently injured or killed in an elevator accident, contact a personal injury lawyer right away to learn your rights to compensation. If your elevator accident was a result of improper maintenance or manager negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages and losses. You can then use your awarded compensation to cover hospital bills, medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, mental anguish, and much more. Choose an experienced Indianapolis accident attorney that has your best interests at heart.