Michigan Stairway and Escalator Accident Lawyer

Our premises liability lawyers represent clients who are injured in falls on elevators, escalators, stairways, and steps. These falls result in very serious and permanent harm. Any person injured in a fall due to a defective and dangerous condition on a property can sue the owner and demand a settlement.

A top-rated attorney at the Buckfire Law Firm will investigate your claim and calculate the extent of your losses. We do not charge any upfront fees and only earn a fee if you win a settlement. And, if your case is unsuccessful for any reason you owe us nothing.

• Defective Step & Stairway Accidents
• Who can I Sue for these Accidents?
• Seeking Legal Help From a Michigan Injury Attorney

Causes of Elevator and Escalator Accidents

While technology has become more reliable over time, escalators and elevators can still break down and malfunction. Many times, when this happens, it is just an inconvenience. However, sometimes it leads to severe injuries or even death.

Many of these injuries involve falls into shafts when elevator doors are open. Other severe injuries arise from elevator doors closing improperly, or when a car is mid-leveled, causing someone to trip as they enter or exit. Although rare, there are also instances of someone being trapped at the bottom of an elevator shaft.

Escalator accidents happen when the moving steps stop suddenly, causing riders to fall backward. Other injuries occur when the steps stop short of the ground floor. This can cause a rider to make an unexpected large step to the ground resulting in injury.

Defective Step & Stairway Accidents

Stairways and steps, on the other hand, are more likely to have hazards caused by some condition that the property owner should have fixed. This might arise from any number of circumstances, including:

• Snow
• Ice
• Broken stair railings
• Missing stair railings
• Broken or rotting stairs
• A wet surface
• Something that is left on the stairs that should not be there

When these or other incidents happen, it is essential for an injured claimant to be able to determine the cause of the hazardous condition. While some of these dangers are apparent, others require the skill and experience of a Michigan stairway and escalator accident lawyer.

Who can I Sue for these Accidents?

When a serious injury occurs in an elevator or on stairs, there is a good chance that someone carries liability. On private property, for example, this at-fault party is usually the owner of the structure or a caretaker. On other properties, multiple parties may be at fault—such as the owner of a mall or its management company, or the manufacturers of an escalator or its individual parts.

Many times, the property owner was negligent for not complying with state and local building codes and ordinances. A violation of these codes is a strong basis for a case and is used to prove liability. Our attorneys investigate all potential legal basis for holding the negligent person or business accountable for the injuries.

If the plaintiff was not trespassing and was legally allowed to be on the property, they have a legal right to seek compensation for their injuries. Of course, if they did not heed warning signs or stay within designated areas and were injured, they may not have as strong of a case. If it can be demonstrated that a landowner should have been aware of a dangerous condition on a stairway, elevator, or escalator, there is still likely to be grounds for a claim with the help of an experienced Michigan lawyer.

Slip and Fall Case Study

A lawsuit was filed by a tenant who tripped and fell over exposed cable wires in the front yard of his rented townhouse. The landlord blamed the cable company and the tenant, claiming he was comparatively negligent for not seeing the cable wires.

The tenant suffered a cervical spinal cord injury that required surgery and caused permanent disabilities. The cable company paid a settlement but the landlord refused to settle and the case went to trial. A Genesee County Circuit Court jury awarded a $1,321,574 verdict against defendant landlord for common law negligence.

Seeking Legal Help From a Michigan Injury Attorney

If you were injured due to a defective and dangerous elevator, escalator, or hazardous stairway, you have the legal right to pursue a claim. You may qualify for a settlement to compensate you for pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages.

Contact an experienced lawyer at Buckfire Law Firm. We are very familiar with these types of claims and will start working on your case immediately.

We charge no legal fees unless you win a settlement. It costs nothing to get started on your case.

To begin taking legal action, reach out to an attorney today.