Elevator Shaft Fall Injury Lawyers

Falls remain by and large the most common cause of serious injury and death occurring on construction sites and the majority of fall related accidents are preventable. Falls down elevator shafts more often than not result in catastrophic and life altering injuries that rob victims of quality of life. The true injustice in most elevator shaft fall injuries is that they can be easily prevented. The only way to promote safer construction environments is to hold construction companies accountable for negligent actions and their failure to prioritize the implementation of safety protocols proven to save lives.

The Causes of Elevator Shaft Falls

Elevator shafts are hidden killers throughout high rise construction sites because they are often unmarked, and workers don’t pay too much attention to them when performing duties. Possible causes of a fall down an elevator shaft include the following.

• Lack of posted warnings— hazards on construction sites must be marked to alert workers to potential threats to their safety. Any open elevator shaft should have markings posted nearby warning workers of the hazard so that they take care to avoid entering close proximity with the elevator shaft.
• Unprotected openings— the simple installation of guard rails or safety nets can prevent falls or safe the lives of those who do happen to slip into an open shaft. A personal fall arrest system may also provide workers with the protection needed to avoid a fall or to reduce the severity of injuries.
• Unawareness of surroundings— workers may inadvertently walk backwards into an open elevator shaft if they are helping others move objects or equipment and are walking with their backs to the hazard.
• Lack of an emergency plan— because construction sites often exist where addresses have not yet been established, it can be more difficult for emergency services to locate the site and send help. Every work site needs to have an emergency plan in place that will address how workers must respond when another is injured or how to ensure their own safety in the presence of hazards.

Elevator Shaft Fall Related Injuries More Severe

The majority of elevator shaft fall accidents do not have happy endings and the workers who have fallen are often killed or severely injured and maimed if they are lucky enough to survive. The cost of paying for the care of a loved one who is paralyzed, has suffered extensive brain damage or who must spend the rest of his or her life under assisted care is exhaustive. 

A lifetime of care for tetraplegia, for example, is in excess of $4 million if the victim is 25 years old at the time of injury. Taking legal action against the victim’s employer is often the only way that victims or their loved ones can secure the compensation that is needed to pay for their initial medical care, the ongoing care they must receive for the remainder of their lives and for the loss of income that has resulted from never being able to work again.

Our Commitment to Holding Employers and Other Responsible Parties Accountable for Injuries Related to Falls in Elevator Shafts

Holding negligent employers accountable for the cost of their disregard for safety is the only way to motivate others to create safer work environments for their workers. The Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers are a team of highly qualified and experienced attorneys who specialize in representing anyone who has been unduly injured due to the reckless or irresponsible behavior of others. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an attorney to learn everything you need to know about your legal rights and to allow us to collect all of the information we need to launch our own investigation.

Once we’ve properly evaluated your elevator shaft fall case, we will be able to answer your questions about the legal process and advise you on how properly to proceed. We will assist you in every step along the way and make sure that you have access to our team of medical professionals and economists while building your case so that you are able to receive the specialized care that you deserve. At no point do we require payment from any of our clients prior to successfully collecting compensation on their behalves, so if we are unable to secure the damages you are entitled to, you will not owe us a thing.

If you are a guest at a business or store and injured in an elevator accident, look here. For information on escalator accidents, look here.