blog home Premise Liability Determining Liability After an Escalator Accident

Determining Liability After an Escalator Accident

By lladmin on March 12, 2022

Escalators are a convenient way get to the next floor in large commercial buildings. You can find them in all sorts of businesses including malls, hotels, offices, and amusement parks. When traveling on an escalator, riders are expected to ride safely by holding the handrail and assisting small children.

When an escalator isn’t working right, people can get seriously injured or even killed. Passengers who ride escalators should be able to use them freely, without the threat of suffering grievous physical harm. But accidents happen, and when they do, victims have the right to seek fair compensation for their injuries.

How Escalator Accidents Happen

An escalator has a lot of moving parts, and there are many ways it can cause physical harm to riders if it isn’t working properly. When you consider how many people use an escalator on a daily basis, it’s easy to understand how important it is for them to be properly maintained to prevent accidents.

There are a number of circumstances that may cause an escalator accident to occur:

  • A wet or slippery surface on the escalator or near an exit or entrance may cause riders to slip and fall, hitting the steel steps of the escalator or the hard concrete floor. This may be the result a spilled drink that wasn’t cleaned up or a careless employee who has mopped the floor and failed to put out a hazard sign.
  • A mechanical malfunction that causes the escalator to jerk, stop suddenly, or travel too fast.
  • Side entrapment that allows a shoe to get stuck in the stairs.
  • Gaps in metal stairs that cause riders to lose their footing.
  • An abnormally large opening in the comb plate that permits an object or a body part such as a finger or a toe to get stuck.
  • A faulty fail-safe mechanism that doesn’t activate when the escalator malfunctions.

Who is Responsible for Escalator Safety?

When it comes to private businesses, the property owner is likely responsible for maintaining a reasonably safe environment for the customers who visit their premises. That means making sure the escalator is safely maintained and serviced in addition to training employees to operate it correctly.

In addition to the property owner, other parties that may be held liable for escalator injuries include:

  • Manufacturers who construct escalators with faulty machinery or design flaws
  • Maintenance companies that don’t provide proper service
  • Inspectors who fail to detect mechanical issues
  • Builders who improperly install an escalator

Injuries Caused by Escalator Accidents

An escalator is a piece of heavy machinery that is likely to seriously injure people if it isn’t functioning properly. Escalator accidents may cause the following results:

We’re Here to Help

When businesses don’t take the necessary precautions to protect people and their children, they must be held accountable. You should never have to pay for negligence that wasn’t your fault.

At Leventhal Puga Bradley P.C., you will receive the highest standard of legal assistance. Call our Denver escalator injury lawyers at (303) 759-9945 to learn more.

Related Articles:

Posted in: Premise Liability