Whom to Sue After an Elevator Accident
Personal Injury Lawyers Advocating for Chicago Residents
Elevator accidents often result in serious injuries that may even involve life-changing conditions like paralysis or amputation. These injuries can result in costly medical bills and can interfere with a person’s ability to work. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an elevator accident, it is important to act quickly. At Therman Law Offices, our Chicago elevator accident attorneys have the experience and dedication to handle your claim. We can look into the circumstances of your injury, determine whom to sue after an elevator accident, and help you secure the compensation that you are entitled to obtain for your harm.
Whom to Sue After an Elevator Accident
Elevator accidents can happen in a number of ways. A defect in how the elevator works or a lapse or mistake in maintenance is a common reason for an elevator accident. Some other common causes of elevator accidents include:
- A sudden drop or free fall;
- Jammed doors;
- Elevator doors closing on someone; or
- The failure of doors to close.
Elevator accident liability can vary depending on the specific facts of the accident. In other words, whom you can sue after an elevator accident will depend on the specific cause. In general, your attorney may want to consider investigating the potential liability of the manufacturer, the property owner, maintenance professionals, or a construction company.
An elevator manufacturer can be liable for an elevator accident if a defect in the elevator’s design or assembly was the cause of the accident. If an inherently dangerous design or substandard manufacturing was the cause of your harm, the manufacturer may be sued. A case against a manufacturer would be based on the theory of product liability, which imposes strict liability. This simply means that you do not need to prove negligence to establish liability. Instead, you can simply show that the elevator was defective in some way when it was installed. Under product liability law, manufacturers and retailers have an obligation to compensate for any injury caused by defective or faulty merchandise that is sold on the market.
Building owners can be liable for an elevator accident if they failed to inspect and maintain the elevator. Lawsuits against owners of properties like apartment complexes or office buildings fall under the legal theory of premises liability, under which property owners have a legal responsibility to make sure that their property is in a reasonably safe condition. Part of this responsibility includes an obligation to inspect the property for potential dangers and then either remedy a problem in a reasonable amount of time or adequately warn the public of the danger.
In some cases, mechanics and other maintenance professionals may be liable for the accident if they failed to inspect and maintain the elevator properly, and that failure was a direct cause of the elevator accident. In other cases, a construction company may be liable if there was a problem with the installation of the elevator that caused the accident.
When fault is successfully established, a plaintiff may be able to recoup a variety of economic and non-economic damages, such as medical expenses, lost income, rehabilitation costs, disfigurement, pain and suffering, and disability. Of course, the exact amount of compensation that a plaintiff will be entitled to receive will depend on the extent of the injuries suffered.
Contact a Knowledgeable Chicago Attorney Following an Elevator Accident
If you or someone close to you has been injured in an elevator accident, we can help with determining whom to sue and addressing other legal issues. At Therman Law Offices, our skilled Chicago lawyers can evaluate the facts of your case and help you pursue the compensation that you deserve for your harm. We understand that dealing with an elevator accident is stressful, but you can rest assured that we are here to take the anxiety out of the process for you. We also represent victims in cities such as Wheaton, Schaumburg, Norwood Park, Edison Park, Harwood Heights, Norridge, Elmwood Park, Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Rosemont, Elk Grove Village, and Mt. Prospect. To learn more about your legal rights and options, feel free to call us at 312-588-1900 or contact us online.
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