Common Causes of Elevator Accidents and Who Is Liable

Elevator accidents, while relatively rare, can result in severe injuries or even fatalities. These incidents often stem from a variety of causes, including mechanical malfunctions, human error and poor maintenance practices. Understanding what causes these accidents is critical to identifying parties that may be held liable for damages in such cases. 

Here are some of the common causes of elevator accidents:

• Sudden acceleration and stops — Sudden and unexpected changes in an elevator’s speed can lead to passengers losing their balance, causing falls or other injuries. These issues often arise from faults in the elevator’s control system or motor. Malfunctioning sensors or electrical components may fail to regulate the elevator’s speed properly, resulting in abrupt acceleration or deceleration. Passengers often have little time to react and stabilize themselves.
• Misleveling — The elevator might fail to stop level with the floor, causing an upward or downward step on which a rider can trip and fall. The extent of injury can depend on the height or depth of the misleveling.
• Door entrapment — Passengers can get caught between doors if the sensors responsible for detecting obstructions malfunction. Entrapment injuries may also occur if the doors close too quickly or with excessive force. Poor alignment, wear and tear or outdated technology can exacerbate these issues, increasing the risk of harm to riders.
• Cable snapping or coming loose — While rare, the snapping or loosening of elevator cables can lead to catastrophic accidents. This type of failure might be due to metal fatigue, improper installation or a lack of regular inspections. In the worst-case scenario, the failure of all safety measures could lead to the elevator free-falling, endangering the lives of everyone inside.
• Improper maintenance —Neglecting routine inspections and repairs can allow minor issues to escalate into major hazards. Worn-out components, uncalibrated sensors or deteriorating cables may go unnoticed without scheduled maintenance. Such negligence often leads to preventable accidents and injuries.
• Safety device failure — Modern elevators are equipped with numerous safety devices, including brakes, emergency stop buttons, and overload sensors. However, these systems are not immune to failure. Defective or poorly maintained safety devices may fail to activate in emergencies, leaving passengers at risk. If an elevator’s emergency brake system malfunctions during a cable failure, it could result in a free fall.

Several parties may be held liable for injuries suffered in an elevator accident:

• Property owners — Building owners or operators have a legal duty to ensure that elevators on their premises are safe for use. They may be held liable if an accident is linked to their failure to arrange for regular maintenance, inspections, or prompt repairs.
• Manufacturers — If an elevator accident is caused by a design flaw or manufacturing defect in the equipment or its components, the manufacturer may be held responsible. This liability may extend to the maker of individual parts, such as cables or control systems.
• Parts suppliers — In some cases, suppliers of defective parts may share liability. For example, if a supplier delivers substandard cables or safety devices, they could be implicated in an accident.
• Maintenance providers — Companies or individuals tasked with maintaining elevators may be held accountable if the accident is attributed to their negligence, such as failing to identify and fix worn parts or conducting improper repairs.

In many cases, liability may involve multiple parties. An experienced premise liability lawyer can conduct a thorough investigation to identify all contributing causes of the accident and establish which parties failed in their duties of care.

Feinberg & Alban PC is a Massachusetts law firm with years of experience protecting the rights of people injured due to the negligence of property owners and others. We have offices in downtown Boston, Brookline and Worcester. Please call 617-232-5950 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation.