In this country of gigantic casinos and hotels with towering offices, many Californian residents are likely to get on elevators several times a day. Most people may think that the likelihood of bodily injury or an accident in an elevator is slim.
Although elevators are generally safe and convenient, and often a necessity, accidents do occur, often as a result of a poor lift function that could have been prevented if the owner took better care of them, avoiding a costly average settlement for elevator accident injuries.
According to studies carried out by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission and other organizations, an average of about six people die each year in elevator-related accidents, and thousands more are injured.
Elevators must be frequently inspected and maintained by the owner of the building (whether it’s a casino elevator or some other place of business), often through contracted services of a professional elevator maintenance company.
When maintenance is not present or is improperly done, the results can be disastrous. The range of injuries in an elevator accident can go from bruising, lacerations, and fractures, up to head injuries, amputations of fingers and toes or even arms and legs.
These accidents may be the fault of the owner, maintenance company, or other entities, such as electricians who installed faulty cables that affected the elevator system. Also, the manufacturer of the lift’s parts or replacement parts might have sold a unit that was defective before leaving the factory, which resulted in the equipment failing at a critical time.
Common Causes of Accidents in an Elevator
Some of the more common causes of accidents in a casino elevator (or other high-rise building) include:
- Doors that close very fast while people enter and exit
- Doors that do not open or close, requiring blocked passengers to open or close them
- The elevator is suddenly fired up or down quickly
- The cabin gets stuck between two floors
- The elevator stops above or below the level of a floor, which can cause a slip and fall accident
- The doors open in a vacuum
Many of these situations can cause the loss of a limb, or even the tip of a finger, which can be terribly painful and leave you permanently disabled or disfigured.
Even when bodily injuries are mild to non-existent, shock and trauma associated with an accident in an elevator can cause severe emotional distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder. In a case such as this, it may be possible to pursue compensation for being stuck in an elevator.
What is the Average Settlement for Elevator Accident Injuries, and How Much is My Case Worth?
One of the first questions that usually comes up after pursuing a personal injury case is the following: “How much is my case worth?”
Although all cases are different, it is possible to give a potential approximation of value to your case by calculating how much your injuries have cost, not only monetarily, but also the physical and mental weight that they had/have on you. These numbers make up what is known as “damage.”
Here are the different types of compensatory damages you can pursue after an elevator accident in a hotel or casino:
- Medical treatment
- Loss of income
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional stress
- Lost quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
Due to the amount of unique variables in each case, the only way to get an idea of how much your case might be worth is to speak with an experienced elevator accident attorney. At Avrek Law, this is just one of the reasons we’re happy to provide free personal injury consultations.
What to Do if You’ve Been Injured in an Elevator Accident
- Get medical help even if you do not appear to be immediately seriously injured. Some injuries, such as head injuries, may not have immediate symptoms but may later require lifetime treatments. Visit your family doctor or local clinic as soon as possible after the accident for a thorough review.
- Get as much documentation as you can at the accident scene and after. Exchange information with other people on the elevator, obtain information from potential witnesses, take photos of the scene of the accident, and generally collect as much information as you can.
- Call a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your accident. An elevator accident lawyer can help you determine the total probable cost of your injuries, investigate the cause of the accident, advise you of your rights, and help you review any legal or insurance documentation that is provided to you.
- Contact the hotel/casino manager. You should contact the owner of the hotel or casino as soon as possible and inform him/her of the situation.
When Should I Contact an Elevator Accident Attorney?
Elevators are a vital component of many high-rise buildings and places of businesses, including hotels and casinos. These must be maintained and regularly checked in order to properly ensure the safety of its users.
Given the potential hazards associated with elevators, building owners must comply with numerous state regulations. When building owners do not comply with these regulations, elevator accidents can occur and result in serious injury or even death.
If you’ve been injured in an elevator, your accident is most likely due to the negligence of another party, and you should speak with an attorney as soon as possible. With over $1 Billion recovered in over 45,000 cases, the attorneys at Avrek Law have the experience to help you obtain or exceed the average settlement for elevator accident injuries. Call today for a free consultation from a skilled elevator accident lawyer!
