Louisiana Injury Lawyers Blog
WDSU TV reported this summer on the untimely death of an office worker in New Orleans. The man died after the elevator carrying him stalled between floors, and, after a long delay, he attempted unsuccessfully to jump down to the next floor below. The tragic ending is a reminder that elevator accidents can potentially have dire consequences. When an elevator accident causes you to suffer harm, you need to act swiftly and retain a skilled Louisiana elevator accident attorney to get to work for you.
The WDSU report indicated that, according to employees who worked there, the elevators at the Executive Plaza had issues frequently. One worker stated that the “elevators go out every day. The fire alarm goes off and the air condition(ing) goes out and people are always getting stuck.”
July 5, 2017 was one of those days. An elevator carrying several people became stuck between floors 3 and 4, according to a report completed by the NOPD. One worker stated that the air conditioning wasn’t working either. After more than 30 minutes, one of the office workers decided that he needed to take action. He attempted to exit the stuck elevator car and jump down to the third floor. The jump was not successful, and the result was tragic, since the man fell all the way down the elevator shaft. He died from the injuries he sustained in the fall.
A fellow worker at the same investment firm that employed the fatally injured man told WDSU that she and others who worked in the building had “been complaining about the elevators for months.”
While it is undeniable that nothing can fully fill the void the man’s loss created within his family, it is also certain that the sudden and premature death of a person still within his prime earning years will create significant financial challenges for the family. When an injury or death is caused, in whole or in part, by the negligent or willful misconduct of others, the law says that the injured person (or his survivors) may be entitled to damages to compensate for the harm they’ve suffered.
In an injury or death lawsuit regarding an elevator accident, there are several important hurdles you’ll need to cross. You’ll need to determine whom you should sue. Depending on the facts of your case, any of a number of people or entities, including the elevator manufacturer, the elevator seller, any companies that maintained or repaired the elevator, or the building owner, may possibly be liable for the harm caused by the malfunctioning elevator. You’ll also need substantial evidence showing that the person or entity you sue was at fault and that the negligence or misconduct you alleged in your complaint was the cause of the harm suffered. This may involve photographic evidence, inspections, and expert opinion testimony, among other things.
In other words, there’s a lot that goes into a successful elevator accident case, so you need legal counsel experienced in these cases on your side fighting for you. The knowledgeable Louisiana wrongful death attorneys at the Cardone Law Firm have spent many years working to help people injured in elevator accidents, as well as other accidents, pursue the recovery they deserve.
For your confidential consultation, contact us online or phone Cardone at 504-522-3333.
More Blog Posts:
Five Injured in Construction Elevator Accident in New Orleans Central Business District, Louisiana Injury Lawyers Blog, Nov. 15, 2017
Recent Elevator Accidents and Injury Litigation in New Orleans, Louisiana Injury Lawyers Blog, Oct. 5, 2017