Visitor Question

Elevator Accident Causes Back Injury…

Submitted By: Michelle (Las Vegas, NV)

Today at work I was taking the elevator from the first floor and going up to the second floor. On my way up the elevator dropped, a complete free-fall down around 6 feet (not exactly sure how far) then it felt as if the emergency breaks came on and the elevator stopped immediately, causing a lot of impact on my body.

My back started hurting right away. I reported the incident to my manager who didn’t know what to do. I was sent home with no information. Now the pain keeps escalating and I’m not sure what I should do. Any direction you could give would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Disclaimer: Our response is not formal legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It is generic legal information based on the very limited information provided. Do not rely upon the information in our response, or anywhere else on this site, when deciding the proper course of a legal matter. Always get a personalized case review from a local attorney.

Answer

Dear Michelle,

Immediately seek medical care.

Go to your local hospital emergency room or your private physician. Before any consideration of an injury claim you must mitigate your damages by seeking treatment.

If you don’t seek treatment and allow your injuries to worsen it will be difficult to form the basis of a viable personal injury claim.

In the unfortunate event you are injured, you may have a civil injury claim against your employer, the owner of the building, and the elevator company. That could be 3 separate injury claims.

Hopefully at or about the time of the incident your employer created some form of an accident or injury report. That information will be important in the event it becomes necessary to pursue a personal injury claim. Be sure not to sign any release forms which might be provided to you by your employer or any other entity.

If your injuries will require medical treatment and you want to seek compensation for your pain and suffering, you may want to consider visiting with a personal injury attorney. Most won’t charge a fee for an initial office consultation.

If a personal injury attorney accepts your case you won’t have to pay any fees until, and unless the case is settled or won at trial. Then it will only be a percentage of the total amount – usually anywhere from 33.3% to 40%.

Learn more here: Back Injuries at Work

The above is general information. Laws change frequently, and across jurisdictions. You should get a personalized case evaluation from a licensed attorney.

Find a local attorney to give you a free case review here, or call 888-972-0892.

We wish you the best with your claim,

Published:

One comment on “Elevator Accident Causes Back Injury…

  1. Crystal says:

    I was on a hospital elevator and it shot up within 2 seconds, slamming into the roof twice. I got hurt from the impact and they had to wheelchair me down to the ER.

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