Private Home Elevator Accident Attorney

What Causes Private Home Elevator Accidents And Injuries?

Like any mechanical device, a private home elevator requires a certain amount of care and professional service. Many moving parts, sensors, and components allow a resident or their guest to easily step into a private home elevator, push a button, and then be delivered to another level of the home. If even one part of the system is not functioning correctly, the safety of the elevator and its occupants can be compromised.

After a private home elevator accident, there is typically an investigation and evaluation to determine the cause of the incident. Some of the most common issues resulting in a private home elevator failure and injury incident include:

• Damaged, worn-out, or miscalibrated sensors that cause the elevator to stop at the wrong location within the elevator shaft. The result of this miscalculation is the floor of the elevator does not line up with the floor in the house when the doors open.
• Damaged or worn-out sensors on the doors are a safety feature to prevent the doors from closing on a person or any body parts of a person who is entering or exiting the elevator. In most cases, when the system is functioning properly, the doors would reopen when the sensor discovers resistance as the door comes into contact with a person or body part.
• Damage to the mechanical components that lift or lower the elevator car in the shaft that causes the unit to move with sudden jerking motions instead of a smooth almost imperceptible motion. The result of these jerking motions is often users of the elevator falling or stumbling into the walls of the elevator and suffering injuries.
• Crushing injuries can occur when the doors are not functioning correctly, as can partial or complete amputations because the doors do not close completely, and a person’s hand, arm, or foot could be in the doorway as the elevator begins to move to the next level. As the elevator approaches another floor, the body part protruding can be crushed or amputated.
• Cable issues that include wear and tear or damage can result in the elevator suddenly dropping to the bottom of the shaft, causing severe injuries to any occupants of the elevator car.

Who Is To Blame For A Private Home Elevator Accident?

If you are familiar with premises liability law, you understand that the owner of a property is ultimately responsible for the care and maintenance of the space to ensure the safety of guests. This liability could apply in the case of a private home elevator accident if the property owner failed to have the elevator serviced and inspected routinely, did not heed the warning of a service person that repairs were needed to ensure the safety of the elevator, or they tried unsuccessfully to make repairs on their own to the elevator system.

However, there are also several other people or entities that could be partially or wholly to blame for the elevator failure and injuries it caused. The service company hired to repair or provide maintenance could be to blame if they did not complete the inspection or repairs thoroughly or correctly. A house manager or management company could be held accountable if they failed to schedule regular service or inspections of the unit or failed to authorize necessary repairs. Finally, the manufacturer or installer of the private home elevator could be to blame if they failed to issue a recall for known issues with the elevator or if the unit was improperly installed. To learn more about whom to hold accountable for your private home elevator injuries, please contact DTLA Law Group today to discuss the case with a skilled private home elevator injury attorney.

Do Private Home Elevator Accidents Cause Severe Harm?

Fortunately, not all private home elevator accidents result in significant injuries. Some lucky occupants will face only minor injuries like scrapes and bruises, but others face much more serious outcomes that can include one or more of these injuries:

• Broken or shattered bones
• Compound fractures
• Dislocated joints and the destruction of the soft connective tissue of the joints
• Soft tissue injuries and the destruction of nerves
• Severe lacerations and puncture wounds that include damage to internal organs and internal bleeding
• Harm to the neck, back, and spinal cord
• Facial injuries to the eyes, nose, and mouth
• Partial or complete amputations
• Head injuries that might include a severe concussion, skull fracture, brain bleed, or other traumatic brain injuries

How Much Is The Average Private Home Elevator Injury Lawsuit Worth?

 Victims of personal injuries such as harm caused in a private home elevator accident need to understand that while there is a mathematical average compensation amount for these cases, it will have no impact on the amount they receive. Each case is independently reviewed, and the compensation awarded by the court is determined using the actual losses and expenses incurred by the victim instead of a standard or preselected amount.

Working with your private home elevator injury attorney, you will gather all the documentation to support the allowable expenses you suffered from the accident. The items most commonly used in this valuation process include but are not limited to:

• The cost to replace any personal property that was damaged or destroyed in the private home elevator accident
• Your current and projected medical expenses related to the injuries suffered in the elevator accident, as well as any emotional therapy or counseling related to the stress and trauma of the incident and your injuries
• The cost of all legal services related to preparing, filing, and litigating your private home elevator injury lawsuit
• Your lost income if the harm you suffered in the private home elevator accident prevented you from working at your regular job until you were fully healed

How Long Do I Have To Take Legal Action?

Victims of personal injuries are given two years from the date of their injury incident to file a lawsuit with the court. If the case is not filed at that time, the victim will lose the right to pursue legal action to recover compensation for the losses and expenses caused by that incident. In addition, there are very limited exceptions that would provide added time to file a claim once the original time limit has expired. Please reach out to DTLA Law Group to discuss the time remaining to file your personal injury lawsuit.

No Added Financial Hardships At DTLA Law Group

When DTLA Law Group handles your private home elevator injury lawsuit, you never need to think about the cost of our legal services until the case is resolved and you have the compensation from the lawsuit. That compensation will include funds to cover your legal services and other expenses created by the incident. Finally, if your DTLA Law Group private home elevator injury attorney fails to win the lawsuit and deliver compensation, you owe the firm nothing. Please reach out to our office staff today to learn more.