When escalators aren’t working right, escalator accidents can cause innocent victims to be catastrophically injured or even killed. Passengers who use escalators in retail stores, offices, and commercial buildings should be able to use them freely without the threat of being seriously injured. When property owners and escalator maintenance companies act negligently, they can be held liable by victims for the injuries they cause.
If you or your loved one have been injured in an escalator accident, you may be entitled to compensation through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. The personal injury attorneys at Ceja Law Firm know how to hold businesses accountable when they fail to keep their escalators safe. When you work with our skilled Houston attorneys, you can rest assured we will handle every aspect of your case and pursue the full compensation you need and deserve.
Common Causes of Escalator Accidents
We step onto escalators at shopping centers, hotels, hospitals, and airports with no problem. Unfortunately, many people are injured, sometimes catastrophically, in preventable escalator accidents every year. Most escalator accidents are caused by one or more party’s negligence or recklessness. Some of the most common causes of escalator accidents include the following:
- Slipping or tripping while entering or exiting the escalator
- Falling over the escalator handrail
- Becoming entangled or stuck in the escalator
- Unstable or broken handrails
- Broken or missing steps
- Missing or loose screws or other parts
- Defects with the comb plate
- Missing or defective teeth
- Dangerous amount of space between the stairs and the sides of the escalator
- Inadequate signage to prevent falling down the shaft
- Electrocutions
- Improper installation
- A lack of routine inspection
- A lack of routine maintenance and repairs
- Failure to fix defective or worn parts
- Sudden changes in direction or stops
Who Is Liable for Escalator Accidents in Houston?
Under Texas law, victims of accidents caused by another party’s negligence can recover compensation from the responsible party or parties. Victims can recover compensation for their injuries, present and future medical costs, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and lost wages.
Determining fault for escalator injuries can be difficult. Liable parties may include escalator maintenance and repair crews, managers, and property owners. Additionally, when escalator manufacturers defectively design or manufacture escalators or their components, they can be held liable for the resulting injuries.
Pursuing Compensation from Negligent Property Owners
Shopping center complexes, retail stores, and businesses with escalators must maintain their escalators. Property owners should ensure qualified, experienced escalator repair service companies routinely inspect their escalators. When property owners cut corners by skipping routine inspection and maintenance, they put customers, employees, and other visitors at risk of being seriously injured.
Defective Escalators Can Cause Serious Injuries
Victims of escalator injuries can hold the manufacturer liable for defectively designed or manufactured escalators under Texas product liability laws. Recovering compensation from product manufacturers requires proof that a defective design in the escalator caused the accident.
Holding Negligent Escalator Manufacturers and Inspectors Accountable
Escalator inspectors are required to have enough training to inspect the escalator competently and identify any defective or worn components. When an escalator safety inspector fails to identify repair issues or defects and a victim becomes injured due to the issue, the inspector’s employer could be held responsible.
Plaintiffs can also recover compensation from the manufacturer when there was an error during the manufacturing process or installation of the escalator, causing it to be dangerous. Finally, when product manufacturers fail to warn the public of known dangers, and those dangers cause a victim to become injured, the victim can pursue compensation from the manufacturer.
Available Damages for Victims of Escalator Accidents
Ceja Law Firm has the resources and professional network to investigate your case and gather evidence proving liability carefully. We will determine which party or parties are liable and develop the best strategy possible for obtaining the most compensation possible in your case.
We regularly work with medical and financial experts to determine the damages victims of personal injury accidents have suffered and will suffer in the future. Victims of escalator accidents caused by another party’s negligence can pursue the following types of damages:
- Doctors visits
- Hospitalization
- Transportation to and from medical appointments
- Prescription medication costs
- Lost wages due to the inability to work because of your injuries
- Future lost wages
- Future pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disability and disfigurement
Wrongful Death from Escalator Accidents
Escalator accidents resulting in a victim’s death may seem rare, but these types of accidents do happen. Victims can become caught in the gap between the moving escalator and the platform. A person’s shoelaces, clothes, or other loose items can become sucked into the gap, pulling the victim down and causing fractures or crush injuries. A victim may trip and fall on an escalator, causing fatal injuries.
Children are the most vulnerable to becoming seriously injured or killed in escalator accidents. They may fall over the railing and suffer fractured vertebrae, skull fractures, and a fractured spine. Surviving family members of victims who die in escalator accidents have the right to pursue damages through a wrongful death lawsuit.
While nothing can bring your loved one back, pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit can help your family move forward financially. Plaintiffs in escalator wrongful death lawsuits can recover compensation for funeral or burial expenses, loss of income, medical expenses before death, and loss of companionship. The attorneys at Ceja Law Firm are prepared to fight for the maximum financial damages available in your case.
Have You Been Injured in a Houston Escalator Accident? We Can Help
If you’ve been injured in an escalator accident in Houston, Texas, you’ll benefit from working with an experienced attorney. The attorneys at Ceja Law Firm have the experience and skills necessary to pursue the most compensation possible for your damages. While we focus on pursuing the damages you deserve and handling every aspect of your case, you can focus on your recovery. Don’t hesitate to contact Ceja Law Firm to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation case evaluation.
