New York City Elevator Accident Lawyers

Are You in Need of a NYC Elevator Accident Lawyer?

With its majestic skyscrapers, high-rise apartment buildings, and large corporate offices, New York City is home to more than 76,000 elevators. These elevators enable passengers to quickly and easily get from floor to floor without the hassle of climbing numerous sets of stairs.

Unfortunately, elevator accidents are increasingly common in New York and are associated with a variety of different causes, such as a property owner’s failure to properly maintain the elevator. These accidents include elevators that lose power and suddenly plummet downward and elevators that malfunction, trapping passengers for hours.

At Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, our team of New York City personal injury attorneys have been recognized by the Million Dollar Advocates Forum for assisting our clients with obtaining multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts.

If you were injured in a NYC elevator accident, call our lawyers today at (212) 986-7353 to schedule a free consultation.

Why Choose Us Over Other NYC Elevator Accident Lawyers

Over 50 Years of Experience handling complex injury and construction claims in New York City
More than $2 Billion Recovered for clients in verdicts and settlements
Named One of the Best Law Firms by U.S. News & World Report
10.0 Superb Rating on Avvo
Recognized by Super Lawyers based on peer reviews and independent research
Top 10 Law Firms in NYC for Client Satisfaction, according to the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys™

Elevator Accidents in the Workplace or Construction Sites

Construction sites are among the most hazardous environments in the city—and elevator shafts are especially dangerous. Workers face significant risks when operating or working around hoist elevators and incomplete elevator systems.

Common causes of elevator-related construction injuries include:

Falls into open or improperly barricaded shafts
Sudden movement or malfunction of a construction elevator (hoist)
Crushing or entrapment during maintenance
Collapses due to overloading or mechanical failure

New York labor laws offer specific protections for injured construction workers. If you were working in or around an elevator and were injured due to someone else’s negligence, you may have a claim under these statutes.

Labor Law §240 (the Scaffold Law) may apply to falls involving elevator shafts or improperly supported hoists, §241 provides additional safety requirements for construction sites, and §200 addresses general site safety.

Types of Elevator Accident Injuries

Elevator malfunctions, particularly in high-rise buildings or construction zones, can cause devastating injuries. Our firm represents clients who have suffered:

Fractures and orthopedic trauma from sudden drops or entrapment
Amputations or crush injuries from doors closing improperly or limbs caught in machinery
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from abrupt jolts or falls
Spinal cord damage and paralysis from sudden stops or collapses
Internal injuries from impact or being thrown inside the cab
Burns and electrocution from electrical system failures
Fatal injuries, especially in construction-related shaft falls

Because elevator systems involve complex machinery and multiple responsible parties, such as owners, manufacturers, maintenance providers, and contractors, it’s essential to work with attorneys who know how to identify all sources of liability to ensure full compensation.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

If you’ve been injured in an elevator accident, the impact on your life can be profound physically, financially, and emotionally.

At WRSMH, we prepare every case as though it will go before a jury. This approach has helped us recover significant compensation in both verdicts and settlements for our clients across New York City.

We pursue every avenue of compensation available to you, including:

Medical expenses: Past, current, and future care, surgeries, rehabilitation, and medication
Lost income: Wages lost due to time off work and diminished future earning capacity
Pain and suffering: Physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life
Permanent disability or disfigurement: Long-term impacts that affect your independence and quality of life
Wrongful death damages: For families of those tragically lost in elevator accidents, including loss of financial support, funeral expenses, and companionship

Common Types of Elevator Accidents

Falls into the elevator shaft: A properly functioning elevator’s doors will only open when the elevator is in perfect alignment with the floor it has stopped on. However, if the elevator is broken and stalled above the landing or if a repair person is working on the elevator shaft, the shaft may be exposed, and an unfortunate accident may occur where an individual falls down the empty elevator shaft, causing severe injuries or even death.
Sudden stops: Due to a control system malfunctioning, the engagement of the safety while the elevator is in motion, or a loss of power, the elevator may come to an abrupt stop. Passengers inside the elevator are not secured and often are not holding onto a railing. As such, when the stop occurs, the passengers are violently thrown into the walls, door, or floor of the elevator, resulting in blunt force trauma, spinal injuries, and more.
Closing doors: Another common injury occurs when the elevator door sensors malfunction and close on a passenger’s body while the passenger is standing in the doorway. This can lead to the doors painfully crushing the passenger.
Misleveling: When the elevator is not in perfect alignment with the landing, the passenger may trip or fall when trying to enter or exit the elevator, resulting in foot, knee, hip, and spinal injuries.

If you were injured due to mechanical errors or elevator defects, you have rights and should contact a New York City personal injury lawyer at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP at (212) 986-7353.

If you were injured due to mechanical errors or elevator defects you have rights and should contact a New York City personal injury lawyer.

Proving Liability in a New York City Elevator Accident Case

If you were involved in a New York City elevator accident and suffered injuries, you may have a viable claim for compensation. A personal injury lawsuit is a type of negligence lawsuit that arises when the negligence of a responsible party causes injury to a victim. In order to prevail in an elevator accident case, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant was responsible for operating or maintaining the elevator. Defendants may include property owners, tenants, property management companies, homeowners’ associations, developers, retail stores, corporations, and elevator maintenance companies.

To prove liability, the plaintiff must establish that an issue with the elevator caused the accident. The plaintiff must also establish that the defendant had actual notice of the issue and failed to take reasonable steps to remedy the problems, such as placing signs on the elevator, taking it out of service, and calling a maintenance company, or that the defendant should have known of the issue and failed to act.

The experienced NYC elevator accident attorneys will tell you if you have a case and make the legal process as easy and stress-free as possible. Click here to read more about our recent $1.5 Million recovery on behalf of a client who was injured in an elevator accident.

Other Locations We Serve in New York

Schedule a Free Case Consultation With a NYC Injury Attorney

If you were injured in an elevator accident, our dedicated and experienced New York City elevator accident attorneys can help you with reviewing your accident, explaining the law, and discussing your options. To speak with us today, call (212) 986-7353.