Georgia residents should know that in New York City, elevators are considered a safe form of travel due to strict safety guidelines and inspection requirements. This does not mean, however, that accidents cannot happen. The Department of Buildings is investigating an incident that occurred on the morning of Aug. 22 and left a 30-year-old man dead.
The incident occurred at a high-rise building called the Manhattan Promenade. The man was with six others on the elevator and was the third to exit it. As he was doing so, the elevator somehow moved and trapped him between the elevator car and the wall of the elevator shaft. This was between the first floor and the basement.
The rest of the passengers were able to exit safely. Emergency crews tried to help the victim out by taking the elevator apart piece by piece, but sadly, the victim died there at the scene. The high-rise residents claim that the elevator had malfunctioned several times before, even leading to citations from the Department of Buildings.
An investigation into the incident is underway, and a medical examiner will determine the cause of the man’s death. It may be that blame lies with the property management company that oversees the building for not addressing the elevator issue in time.
Under premises liability law, the failure to do something about an issue in a reasonable amount of time is considered negligence. When someone is injured or killed in a preventable accident on someone else’s property, then that person or the family may file a premises liability claim. A successful claim might cover losses like medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. A wrongful death suit may additionally cover funeral and burial expenses and loss of support. Whatever the situation, having legal counsel may be wise.