Elevator and Escalator Accidents

Escalators and elevators are a common presence in many workplace environments, especially for those involved in construction, repair, and other industrial trades. While they are safe for general use, accidents involving these instrumentalities are not uncommon among workers, and they can result in lasting bodily harm. If you or a loved one have recently been hurt while using an escalator or elevator, the workers’ compensation lawyers at Kantrovitz & Associates can assist you. We have represented many Massachusetts industrial and construction workers in their claims for benefits and will fight for your right to the compensation that you deserve.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 30 individuals each year are killed in incidents involving escalators and elevators, while over 17,000 are seriously hurt. Elevators cause the majority of these injuries and typically affect workers who are working on or near the elevators, including those repairing or maintaining them. Injuries are also common for workers who are caught in between the moving parts of elevators and escalators. They may vary greatly and can include falls down an elevator shaft that result in broken bones or serious head trauma, or torn ligaments and crushed appendages as a result of the unexpected weight of escalator or elevator equipment. Additionally, since both escalators and elevators require electric power for movement, workers on occasion may experience electrical shocks or burns when power is not properly turned off before repair work. In any of these situations, a victim may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

If you or a loved one were recently injured due to an accident on the job, you are entitled to file for workers’ compensation benefits. Ideally, your claim will be readily accepted by your employer’s insurer, and you will be entitled to benefits for at least a portion of time that you are off work. However, in some situations, the insurer may wish to contest benefits and may argue that you were not hurt as a result of your time on the job. If this is the case, it is important to contact a qualified attorney to help you prepare to argue your case at a hearing. You may wish to show that your employer did not provide proper safety equipment for use when working on escalators or elevators, or failed to provide proper training to your co-workers. If you were injured because an elevator in your workplace malfunctioned, it may be relevant to determine whether your employer was inspecting the elevator, as required, on a regular basis. While you are required only to establish that you were hurt and that the accident occurred on the job, these facts can be helpful in refuting defenses that the insurer might try to make.

If you are successful in your workers’ compensation claim, you will be entitled to payment for the medical expenses you incurred as a result of your injury, as well as payment for time off work. If your harm does not resolve or becomes permanent, you may also be entitled to partial or total disability payments.

Employees working in high-risk environments, including industrial and construction-related work, willingly take on hazardous conditions in order to meet the requirements of their job. In exchange, Massachusetts law requires that they be compensated and supported if they experience an injury at work. All too often, however, employers and their insurers contest these claims and fight against the payment of benefits in court. At Kantrovitz & Associates, our work injury attorneys understand the tactics used by Massachusetts insurers in the courtroom and how to fight back against unfair denials of benefits. We assist injured employees in the Boston area, as well as Norfolk, Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex Counties. For more information or to schedule an initial consultation, contact us at 800-367-0871 or online.