Many of us do not think twice about using elevators. We get on, push the button, and arrive safely at the floor you selected. However, accidents can occur in many places and for many reasons. Many are relatively minor, but some are serious or even fatal. Would you know what steps to take after an elevator accident?
Trusting your elevator injury case to a New York personal injury lawyer allows you to focus on your health and well-being while they manage your claim or lawsuit.
This is one of the best ways to protect your rights and better navigate this frustrating and challenging time. Keep reading to learn more about what to do after being hurt in an elevator accident.
- What Steps Should I Take After Suffering Elevator Accident Injuries?
- How do Elevator Injury Accidents Happen?
- Damages Recoverable After an Elevator Accident
- What is the Role of an Elevator Accident Attorney?
- Talk to Our Elevator Accident Team for Free Today
What Steps Should I Take After Suffering Elevator Accident Injuries?
Knowing the first steps to take after an elevator accident ensures you get the care, support, and guidance you need to heal from your injuries and seek appropriate compensation from the property owner, who may be liable for your injuries and damages.
Make sure you:
1. Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Your health must be your top priority throughout this process. If you are hurt, you should see a medical professional as soon as possible. Prompt assessment and treatment often provide a better outcome. It also provides documentation of your injuries, which is essential for supporting your insurance claim or lawsuit later.
2. Report the Accident
Notify the building management or property owner about the elevator accident immediately. Often, this occurs as a part of calling for help and asking for emergency services to come to the scene. Make sure you ask for an official incident report and request a copy for your records.
For example, these accidents may happen in hotel elevators. If that was the site of your elevator accident, you should report the injury to the hotel management and ask for a report to be filed. Once you receive a copy of this report, make sure all the information is correct.
3. Follow Your Doctor’s Orders
After you receive treatment and are out of the hospital, follow your doctor’s treatment plan. This could include follow-up visits, medications, physical therapy, and other recommendations.
Following your treatment plan increases the likelihood that you will recover as much as possible, as it creates a detailed record of the extent of your injuries.
If you believe you need a second opinion or want to see a specialist, talk to an attorney about the best way to document this need.
4. Consult an Attorney
Talk to a personal injury attorney who handles elevator accident cases to understand your legal rights and options. Your attorney and their team will evaluate your case and determine your next steps. They will also build strong support for your claim or lawsuit and advocate for any compensation available based on your case facts.
5. Keep Records of Expenses and Losses
Keep files that include medical bills, lost income records, receipts, and documentation of other expenses related to the accident. You should keep notes about activities you missed because of your injuries and treatment, too.
This information will be relevant as your case progresses and your attorney works to document your economic and non-economic damages.
For a free legal consultation, call 516-932-0400
How do Elevator Injury Accidents Happen?
Elevator injuries vary widely in severity and cause. Most are relatively minor and are often linked to falls inside the elevator or while entering or exiting the elevator. Some other accident types are more likely to cause catastrophic or fatal injuries.
Some ways elevator injuries occur include:
- Trips and falls
- Slip and falls
- Getting hit by moving doors
- Being thrown to the floor by a sudden movement in the elevator
- Getting caught, trapped, or pulled between floors
- Electrical injuries
Liability in these cases depends greatly on the circumstances. Some possibilities include:
- The building owner
- The building lessee
- A company tasked with elevator maintenance or repair
- The elevator manufacturer
Damages Recoverable After an Elevator Accident
Serious elevator accidents cause catastrophic injuries, including brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and more. Victims often require significant inpatient treatment and rehabilitation. In these cases, the types of damages recoverable could include:
- Medical expenses, including ambulance transportation, hospitalization, surgery, therapies, and future care costs
- Lost income, including missed wages and diminished earning capacity for future income
- Out-of-pocket expenses with documentation
- Pain and suffering damages
- Diminished quality of life
- Other non-economic damages
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What is the Role of an Elevator Accident Attorney?
When you hire a personal injury law firm to manage your elevator accident injury case, they will:
- Provide regular case updates and answer your questions
- Investigate and gather evidence to identify the liable party or parties
- Communicate with the liable parties, insurers, and attorneys for you
- Collect evidence to develop a strong and compelling case for compensation
- Determine a value for your case to present during negotiations or litigation
- Advocate relentlessly to win the best possible case outcome for you
Your attorney will represent your best interests and fight for the appropriate compensation in your case based on your expenses and losses. They will develop the case and manage the claims process or file a lawsuit and represent you in court.
How Long do I Have to Act?
How long you have to file a lawsuit is set by state law. In New York State, this is under New York Civil Practice Laws & Rules § 214. This law only gives you a limited time to begin the process and file your complaint in the correct jurisdiction. However, most cases settle instead of going to trial, but it’s important to follow this deadline in the event that your case needs to go to court.
(It is also very important to note that a shorter statute of limitations may apply to your situation depending upon the circumstances of your case. It is best to take advantage of a free case review with our firm so that you know exactly what deadlines you are facing and what your best options for legal action are.)
Acting as soon as possible after your elevator accident also protects your rights and preserves evidence. No matter how your case progresses, time is of the essence.
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Talk to Our Elevator Accident Team for Free Today
At Friedman & Simon Injury Lawyers L.L.P., we provide free consultations for elevator accident victims on Long Island or elsewhere in the New York metropolitan area.
If you need to know what steps to take after an elevator accident, connect with our team today. We will assess your options and explain how our elevator accident lawyers will handle your case.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form