Atlanta Escalator Accident Attorneys
Injured on an Escalator in Atlanta?
Escalators are very common in malls, sports venues, transit systems, exhibit halls, public buildings, hotels, resorts, amusement parks and many other locations. While escalators are a convenient way to move floor to floor, under some situations, they are dangerous. As with all man-made systems, escalators are subject to failure.
What are the Most Common Causes of Escalator Accidents?
Modern escalators have many moving parts and other components. When a part or component in the system fails, it can result in a serious, catastrophic, or fatal injury. Some of the most common types of Atlanta escalator accidents include:
- A rapid, sudden stop, causing an innocent person to fall and sustain an injury on the metal parts below.
- Slip and fall accidents in escalators connected to the out-of-doors, with visitors tracking in water causing an unsafe walking surface.
- Unsafe or broken handrails
- Improperly installed escalators
- Missing parts, such as side panels, or the folding teeth of the unit posing a walking danger
- Failure to properly maintain an escalator, leading to hazardous conditions
- Broken escalator steps
- Escalator handrail problems, such as wrong speed or stopping, leading to a fall
- Clothing caught on loose screws or missing teeth on the escalator steps
- Electrical faults leading to exposure to electrical energy
Escalator Accident Injuries
An accident on an escalator is particularly dangerous, as the moving parts of the stair surfaces are constructed of sharp metal pieces that are in motion and constantly folding into each other. A fall on these sharp metal pieces can be a physical disaster. Some of the most common types of injuries sustained on an escalator include:
- Sprains, strains, bruises, and other soft tissue injuries
- Cuts, contusions, lacerations
- Crushed arms, legs, toes
- Accidental amputation
- Fractures (broken bones)
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Electrocutions
Who is Liable in an Escalator Accident?
The location of the escalator determines the at-fault party.
- Shopping malls: The shopping mall owner may be held liable for injuries sustained on their premises.
- Sports and concert venues: If the accident occurred at a concert or sports event, the venue owner or maintenance company may be named to recover compensation.
- Public buildings: Publicly owned buildings may require special handling, as less time is allowed to file an injury claim against the agency or other government entity. You have one year from the time of the injury to file a “notice of claim.”
- Amusement parks: If the escalator accident occurred at an amusement park, the owner, manager, and other entities may be held liable for the injuries sustained.
- MARTA escalators: If an accident occurs on one of the MARTA escalators, the city agency responsible for the system may be held liable, as well as the escalator maintenance company engaged by the city. Immediate intervention by your attorney is often necessary in these cases to ensure all actions are undertaken correctly, and within the time limits imposed by state law.
Negligence and Escalator Accidents in Atlanta
All Atlanta personal injury cases hinge on the legal concept of “negligence.” Basically, negligence refers to a person or other entity failing to exercise the required “duty of care.” The “duty of care” refers to a property owner’s responsibility to exercise reasonable care for the safety “invitees,” or those present on the premises. If a property owner or manager fails to correct a hazard that could lead to serious injuries, they are likely to be considered negligent in their actions. Once they have “breached” (violated) the duty of care and an accident occurred, that party can be held liable. With escalators, continuous maintenance is required, and a failure to maintain may be discovered to be the cause of a serious accident.
Comparative Negligence and Escalator Accident Cases in Georgia
Comparative negligence laws in the state make it possible to recover compensation even if the injured person is partially responsible for what occurred. The percentage of “fault” is calculated, and the compensation reduced by that percentage.
Contact Grant Law Office – Free Case Consultation
At Grant Law Office, our husband and wife attorney team are deeply committed to seeking justice for the injured. Wayne Grant is ABPLA (American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys) board-certified and has met and exceeded an extensive list of medical professional liability requirements and qualifications. He is ranked as being at the top 5% of the attorneys in the state of Georgia by Super Lawyers and has a 5/5 “Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, an independent law firm rating service.
For a free, comprehensive case evaluation, with no time limit, we invite you to contact our Atlanta premises liability lawyers at (404) 995-3955 today to discuss an electrocution accident case.
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