Elevators and escalators are used safely by millions of people every day. But when equipment is defective, poorly maintained, improperly inspected, or operated in unsafe conditions, the injuries can be severe.
A sudden elevator drop, misleveled elevator car, open shaft, defective door, escalator entrapment, sudden stop, or runaway escalator can cause broken bones, head injuries, spinal injuries, crush injuries, amputations, and, in the worst cases, death.
Blumenshine Law Group represents people injured in elevator and escalator accidents in Chicago and throughout Illinois. These cases often require quick investigation because inspection records, maintenance logs, surveillance footage, incident reports, and equipment data can disappear or change quickly after an accident.
If you or a loved one was injured in an elevator or escalator accident, call (312) 766-1000 for a free consultation.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not a substitute for legal advice about your specific case.
Why Elevator and Escalator Accident Cases Are Different
Elevator and escalator injury cases are not simple slip-and-fall claims. They often involve mechanical equipment, inspection rules, maintenance contracts, building ownership issues, and multiple responsible parties.
A serious accident may involve the property owner, building manager, elevator maintenance company, inspection company, installer, manufacturer, public transit agency, airport authority, or another contractor responsible for safety.
The key questions are usually:
- What caused the equipment to malfunction?
- Was the elevator or escalator properly inspected?
- Were prior complaints or defects ignored?
- Who maintained the equipment?
- Who controlled the property?
- Was the equipment code-compliant?
- Was surveillance footage or maintenance history preserved?
Because these cases can involve technical evidence, early legal review is important.
Common Elevator Accident Causes
Elevator accidents may happen when a car mislevels, stops suddenly, drops unexpectedly, opens when no elevator is present, traps passengers, or malfunctions because of poor maintenance.
Common elevator hazards include misleveling between the elevator and floor, defective doors, sudden stops, uncontrolled movement, open shafts, power or control system failures, poor emergency response, and failure to perform required inspections or repairs.
These failures can be especially dangerous for older adults, workers, delivery personnel, people with mobility limitations, and passengers carrying bags or packages.
Common Escalator Accident Causes
Escalator accidents often involve falls, entrapment, sudden stops, crowding, or mechanical malfunction.
Riders may be injured when shoes, clothing, bags, fingers, or feet become caught in moving parts. Others may fall because of abrupt movement, missing comb plates, uneven steps, slippery surfaces, poor lighting, or crowding at the top or bottom of the escalator.
Children and older adults may face higher risk in certain escalator accidents, especially in busy locations such as CTA stations, airports, shopping centers, stadiums, hospitals, and office buildings.
Where Elevator and Escalator Accidents Happen in Chicago
Elevator and escalator accidents in Chicago may occur in high-rise office buildings, apartment buildings, hotels, hospitals, shopping centers, CTA stations, airports, parking garages, stadiums, convention centers, construction sites, and public buildings.
High-traffic locations can create added risk because equipment is used heavily throughout the day. In older buildings, maintenance history, inspection compliance, repair records, and prior complaints may become especially important.
Who May Be Liable for an Elevator or Escalator Accident?
Liability depends on what caused the accident and who was responsible for the equipment or property.
Potentially responsible parties may include property owners, building managers, elevator maintenance companies, inspection contractors, repair companies, installers, manufacturers, public transit agencies, airport operators, construction contractors, or other vendors.
For example, a property owner may be responsible for failing to keep equipment safe for visitors. A maintenance company may be responsible if it ignored defects or performed poor repairs. A manufacturer may be responsible if a defective part or design contributed to the accident.
In many cases, more than one party may share responsibility.
Evidence That Should Be Preserved
Evidence can disappear quickly after an elevator or escalator accident.
Important evidence may include surveillance video, inspection certificates, maintenance logs, service contracts, repair records, prior complaints, incident reports, witness statements, photographs, and records showing who owned, controlled, inspected, or maintained the equipment.
If clothing, shoes, bags, or personal items were caught in an escalator, preserve them. Do not throw them away or wash them. They may become important physical evidence.
Elevator and Escalator Injury Data
Safety data shows that elevator and escalator accidents can cause serious injuries and deaths, especially among workers who install, repair, or maintain equipment and passengers injured by falls, entrapment, or mechanical failures.
CPWR has reported that elevator and escalator incidents kill about 31 people and seriously injure about 17,000 people each year in the United States, based on analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics and Consumer Product Safety Commission data from earlier study periods. Because these datasets cover different years and populations, the numbers should be treated as historical safety data rather than current-year totals.
CPWR research also found that, among construction workers with elevator-related fatal injuries from 2011 to 2016, falls to a lower level were the leading cause, accounting for 53.5% of those deaths.
Escalator injury research has also found that about 10,000 escalator-related injuries requiring emergency department treatment are reported annually in the United States.
The takeaway is simple: these accidents are uncommon compared with daily elevator and escalator use, but when they happen, they can be serious and highly fact-specific.
Chicago Elevator Inspection Requirements
Chicago regulates elevators, escalators, and other conveying devices through the Department of Buildings. The City’s Annual Inspection Certification program requires building owners or property managers to use a certified inspection company to document the condition of elevators, escalators, and other conveying devices.
After an accident, inspection status can be important. An attorney may investigate whether the equipment had a current inspection certification, whether violations were cited, whether repairs were completed, and whether the property owner or maintenance company ignored prior problems.
What to Do After an Elevator or Escalator Accident
If you are injured in an elevator or escalator accident, get medical attention first. Then, if you are able, report the incident to building security, management, CTA personnel, airport personnel, or the property owner before leaving the scene.
Take photos of the elevator or escalator, the inspection certificate, visible defects, warning signs, your injuries, and the surrounding area. Get names and contact information for witnesses. Save your shoes, clothing, bags, or anything that may have been caught, torn, or damaged.
Avoid giving a detailed recorded statement or signing a quick settlement before speaking with an attorney.
Illinois Filing Deadlines
Filing deadlines depend on the facts, the location of the accident, and who owns or operates the property.
Many Illinois personal injury claims are generally subject to a two-year filing deadline. However, shorter deadlines may apply when the accident involves a public entity, public transportation agency, municipal property, airport, public building, or other government-related defendant.
CTA-related injury claims are commonly subject to a shorter one-year filing period. Older CTA notice requirements have also changed over time, so the deadline analysis should be handled carefully and based on current law and the specific facts.
The safest approach is to have an attorney review the incident date, accident location, property ownership, and possible government involvement as soon as possible.
Talk to a Chicago Elevator and Escalator Accident Attorney
If you were seriously injured in an elevator or escalator accident, or if a loved one was killed, Blumenshine Law Group can help investigate what happened and who may be responsible.
Call or text (312) 766-1000 or email [email protected] for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Elevator and Escalator Accidents
Who may be responsible for an elevator or escalator accident?
Responsibility may fall on the property owner, building manager, maintenance company, inspection contractor, installer, manufacturer, public transit agency, airport operator, or another party involved in owning, inspecting, repairing, or controlling the equipment.
What are common elevator accident causes?
Common causes include misleveling, sudden drops, abrupt stops, defective doors, open shafts, entrapment, control system failures, poor maintenance, and failure to correct known defects.
What are common escalator accident causes?
Escalator accidents may involve falls, entrapment, sudden stops, crowding, slippery surfaces, defective comb plates, missing guards, mechanical failure, or clothing and footwear becoming caught in moving parts.
What evidence is important after an elevator or escalator accident?
Important evidence may include surveillance footage, inspection certificates, maintenance logs, service contracts, repair records, prior complaints, incident reports, witness statements, and photographs of the equipment and scene.
Should I photograph the inspection certificate?
Yes, if you can do so safely. The inspection certificate may help identify the device, inspection status, certificate number, and responsible parties.
How long do I have to file an elevator or escalator injury claim in Illinois?
The deadline depends on the facts and the defendant. Many Illinois personal injury claims have a general two-year deadline, but shorter deadlines may apply if the accident involves a public entity, CTA property, municipal property, airport property, or another government-related defendant.
Does Blumenshine Law Group handle elevator and escalator accident cases in Chicago?
Yes. Blumenshine Law Group reviews elevator and escalator injury claims in Chicago and throughout Illinois, including cases involving unsafe property conditions, poor maintenance, defective equipment, serious injuries, and wrongful death.
Scott Blumenshine is the founding partner of Blumenshine Law Group and a veteran Chicago trial attorney with over 35 years of experience. Experienced in complex premises liability, Scott has a proven track record in elevator and escalator injury cases, including a notable $1.275 million recovery for an injured worker. He is dedicated to securing justice and maximum compensation for victims of mechanical negligence.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.