It’s absolutely essential for building owners to keep their elevators maintained and inspected by a company such as Elevator Technologies Inc to prevent potential problems. Fatal accidents in elevators are very rare, but less serious injuries caused by malfunctioning elevators occur more frequently.
Even a malfunction as seemingly benign as the elevator not stopping level with the floor can cause an injury. A person in a wheelchair, for example, typically must either enter or exit an elevator in reverse because there’s no way to turn the chair around once inside. If the elevator does not stop level with the floor, the person trying to enter or exit in a wheelchair in reverse will probably not see the uneven surface. The chair can easily tip over.
An uneven landing surface also can cause someone standing up to trip and fall while entering or exiting if he or she doesn’t notice the problem. The building owner is liable for these people’s medical bills and accident-related expenses. Even if the person who tripped and fell was reading a newspaper or a text message while walking, the building owner still is normally considered responsible under the legal concept of premises liability.
An elevator that becomes stuck between floors for any length of time poses other potential hazards. People with certain health conditions may become sick if they are trapped in this confined space for a long time without any water or food, or their prescription medication. A diabetic individual, for instance, may need to eat at least a small amount of food fairly regularly to maintain an even blood sugar level.
Many people have a phobia about riding in an elevator, and still others have a fear of confined spaces. Being trapped in an elevator for hours can make them panic and become physically ill. Someone might very well file a lawsuit later, justifiably claiming post-traumatic stress over the incident. It can be difficult for these frightened individuals to ever set foot in an elevator again.
Scheduling routine maintenance with an organization like Elevator Technologies Inc prevents these situations from occurring. Building owners and managers may visit the website to take appropriate action.
