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Personal Injury Compensation Claims for Accidents on Escalators and in Lifts
Introduction to Accidents on Escalators and in Lifts
About Lift and Escalator Accidents
How are people injured by Lifts and Escalators?
Accidents caused by Escalators and Lifts
Action to take following an accident in a Lift or on an Escalator
Evidence to collect after your Escalator or Lift Accident
Clients we have helped with their Lift or Escalator Compensation Claims
Escalator and Lift Compensation Claims we have dealt with
Lift or Escalator Compensation Claim Advice
How to start a claim for compensation after an accident with an Escalator or Lift
Introduction to Accidents on Escalators and in Lifts
About Lift and Escalator Accidents
Lifts and escalators are not only a luxury to save us climbing up a flight of stairs, they are often essential for disabled people to carry out their everyday activities such as reaching their workplace, shopping or using a multi-storey car park. Parents with young children or babies in buggies would also find life very difficult without lifts and escalators.
Thankfully the majority of lifts and escalators in the UK are safe to use and well maintained; however, occasionally accidents do happen.
If you have an accident and suffer an injury whilst on an escalator or in a lift, which was not your fault, then you may be entitled to make a personal injury compensation claim. For further information, contact us on 08000 224 224.
How are people injured by Lifts and Escalators?
Accidents caused by Escalators and Lifts
If not properly fitted and maintained, lifts and escalators can be dangerous pieces of machinery.
For example lift doors could close on a person and lifts could stop between floors, causing jerking movements which could throw a person to the floor. If the lift stops only an inch or two short of the correct floor, this could cause a tripping hazard to a person entering or leaving the lift and at worst, the lift could fall down the shaft at speed.
On an escalator, the emergency stop mechanism could fail and a person’s limb could be pulled into the escalator itself.
If you have been involved in an accident involving a lift or escalator and would like to know if you have a valid accident compensation claim complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
Action to take following an accident in a Lift or on an Escalator
Evidence to collect after your Escalator or Lift Accident
To make a successful personal injury compensation claim, you would need to prove that another person was responsible for your personal injury (in this case, the owner of the escalator or lift).
To help your case, you should report the accident to the staff or owner at the time, make a note of your accident in the accident book if possible, take names and addresses of witnesses to the accident and if possible take photographs of the area where the accident happened.
If you are intending to claim expenses such as prescription costs and travelling expenses, remember to keep receipts as evidence.
If you would like us to review the circumstances of your accident in a lift or on an escalator telephone us on 08000 224 224.
Clients we have helped with their Lift or Escalator Compensation Claims
Escalator and Lift Compensation Claims we have dealt with
Worker fell 15 feet down lift shaft
Thompsons Solicitors' specialist personal injury lawyers assisted Norman Patterson after he fell 15 feet down a lift shaft in an accident at work.
He was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, and later had to have his right leg amputated below the knee.
He wasn't able to return to work after the accident and suffers from ongoing pain and depression. He was awarded £468,000 damages.
To read this new story in full, visit our News Desk.
Man trapped in lift at work
Mr Haswell was injured when he was in a lift at work with a trolley next to him. The lift suddenly jolted and broke down, throwing Mr Haswell to the floor and causing the trolley to land on top of him.
He was trapped in the lift for some time before being rescued and was taken to hospital by the emergency services. He was then found to have broken ribs and an injury to his right knee.
Thompsons Solicitors recovered £13,500 compensation for him and he was happy with our service. An extract of his thank you letter read "May I express gratitude to Thompsons ... for your expertise and patience. Many thanks".
If you have been involved in an accident whilst in a lift or on an escalator you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim for compensation. Complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
Lift Plummeted Seven Floors
Our client in this case was a woman employed by the Metropolitan Police who was trying to reach the 8th floor of the Victoria Building at New Scotland Yard in London.
The lift stopped at the 7th floor to let someone out but then instead of carrying on up to the 8th floor it plummeted down to the ground floor at speed.
Our client suffered neck and back injuries as well as psychological injuries as a result of the ordeal.
Thompsons recovered a substantial sum in compensation for her and she was happy with our service. An extract from her statement read "Being stuck in a lift which is plummeting to the ground is most people’s worst nightmare. To then find that the alarm and intercom had failed and we were trapped inside the lift was terrifying. It wasn’t until we were released that I realised the extent of my injuries. Not only have I had to have treatment for severe back pain but I’ve also had to undergo counselling to get over a new fear of lifts".
To read more about this case follow this link to Damages received by victim of dangerous lift.
Terrifying ordeal in faulty lift
Thompsons' client in this case was a woman employed as a civil servant at the Ministry of Defence (MOD). She was in a lift at work when it suddenly fell out of control from the third floor.
It was discovered that the lift had suffered 43 faults prior to our client's accident but had not been replaced. The lift was finally refurbished after the accident.
Our client suffered whiplash and a serious knee injury in the accident which required surgery. She was absent from work for 2 months as a result of the injury and had panic attacks when she returned and tried to use lifts in the building.
Thompsons Solicitors made a personal injury claim for compensation for the injured woman and her claim was settled for £16,500.
To read more about this case, visit Terrifying ordeal for civil servant in faulty MoD lift.
Lift or Escalator Compensation Claim Advice
How to start a claim for compensation after an accident with an Escalator or Lift
If you or someone you know has suffered an injury whilst in a lift or using an escalator, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.
There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.
Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Thompsons Solicitors to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
Contact us about your accident or injury
Call us for free on 08000 224 224 Call us from your mobile on 0330 123 123 0 (charged at local number and free when covered by inclusive minutes) Request a call back Text CLAIM to 82010 (standard network rates apply)
