With proper installation and maintenance, escalators should not be any more dangerous than going up or down a set of non-moving stairs. Unfortunately, not every property owner is as diligent about keeping their equipment in as good shape as they should, and that sometimes leads to serious malfunctions in these machines, which can cause devastating injuries to the people using them.
That is why you should talk to a Reno escalator accident lawyer.
Premises liability claims can be challenging to pursue, even under the most favorable circumstances, so seek the help of a Reno premises liability lawyer from Shook & Stone Injury Lawyers to give your case the best chance of success.
We have more than 150 years of combined experience that can be put to work for you.
Holding the Right People Accountable for Injuries
All property owners in Nevada have a legal duty of care that requires them to fix hazardous conditions on their property and warn lawful visitors of any hazards they know about but have yet to fix. In some cases, they must even inspect their property regularly to discover new hazards reasonably soon after they appear.
As a result, in Reno, the party most directly to blame for an escalator accident is generally the owner of the building where that escalator is installed, as they are directly responsible for ensuring that the machine is safe and in working order.
In some situations, though, the fault for this sort of accident may lie partially, or even primarily, with a third party other than the landowner—for example, a service technician who failed to do their job properly and allowed a faulty escalator to go without important repairs.
Likewise, if an escalator malfunctions specifically because of a flaw in its design or manufacturing, liability for an ensuing injury might lie mainly with the company that made and sold the machine in the first place, and a Reno personal injury lawyer can help.
Getting Paid Fairly for All Compensable Losses
Regardless of who specifically is at fault for an injury caused by a dangerous escalator in Reno, as the injured person, you can seek restitution through a civil lawsuit or settlement demand for every negative effect your injury will ever have on you. This can include both economic and non-economic forms of harm, such as:
- Short-term and long-term medical bills
- Physical pain and suffering
- Various expenses stemming from personal property damage/loss
- Emotional and psychological trauma
- Lost working capacity or work income
- Lost enjoyment of life and other effects of permanent disability/disfigurement
Guidance from our seasoned attorneys at Shook & Stone Injury Lawyers can be crucial, not just to identify all the losses you can seek recovery for in your unique situation but also to assign each of them a fair financial value during settlement negotiations or a civil court trial.
The Legal Process in Accident Cases
If you suffered an injury on another person’s property, often due to another person’s lack of maintenance, they owe you for any losses you can prove. The legal process for filing a claim for compensation may seem easy, but it is, in fact, challenging, especially if you do not have substantial experience.
When you hire our Reno escalator accident attorney, we handle every step of the process:
- We gather evidence to determine what happened and who is at fault. The details of your accident help us to demonstrate who is at fault, whether that is the property owner, a third-party organization, or the manufacturer.
- ·Our team then gathers all evidence on the losses you have. Our objective is to fully understand how this accident has harmed you and will continue to harm you in the future.
- We pursue a claim against the at-fault party for your losses and negotiate with them for fair compensation.
- Most of the time, they settle, but if not, we will seek legal action in a lawsuit.
- If we need to go to trial, our attorneys will remain by your side throughout the process, protecting your rights.
While you work on healing, we are working on proving that you are owed compensation after such a tragic accident. You should not have to fear using an escalator, and yet that could be the outcome when someone else makes mistakes. Call our escalator accident attorney in Reno for guidance on the detailed legal process.
How a Company May Defend Against Your Claims
There are many situations in which the losses are clearly those of the property owner. However, with escalators, there is also the possibility that they may try to shift the blame to you. Some of the possible defense strategies they may use include:
- Demonstrating that you were engaging in reckless behavior on the escalator
- Documenting that the escalator was working up to the expected guidelines, as noted in a recent certification, according to information from the State of Nevada
- Show that you were warned not to use the escalator
- Show that you did not abide by the rules of use, such as holding onto the railing
- Demonstrate that you were intoxicated or otherwise impaired at the time of the accident
In each of these situations, we expect to find evidence to prove that their allegations are not true. Do not head to court without an escalator accident lawyer in Reno who is ready to fight for you.
Potential Compensation for Accident Victims
Victims of an escalator accident have the right to pursue compensation for any losses they suffered from the incident, including emotional, physical, and financial losses. However, there is no requirement for the insurance company to tell you what those losses are.
Instead, our escalator accident attorney will document the losses you have fully and then pursue fair claims in a court of law to represent your case to the fullest. Examples of the compensation owed to you may include:
- Medical bills from the accident
- Any ongoing medical costs or future medical care expenses
- Losses related to missed time at work
- Out-of-pocket expenses from the accident and recovery process
- Loss of quality of life
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Emotional trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder
You are the victim, and you deserve fair treatment under the law. Expect our highly experienced lawyers to fight for you every step of the way to recover fair compensation. Even if you are unsure what your losses are, our team will help you determine them after a full investigation.
Contact a Reno Escalator Accident Attorney for Help
Falling or getting hurt in any other way on an escalator can be a frightening and debilitating experience. On top of that, filing a lawsuit over this sort of accident can be difficult on many levels, especially if this is your first time trying to pursue civil compensation for the effects of another person’s misconduct.
At Shook & Stone Injury Lawyers, our Reno escalator accident attorney knows exactly how harmful escalator accidents in Reno can be and how to build strong civil claims over injuries like yours. Call today to arrange a free initial consultation to discuss your options.
