Understanding Elevator Injury Law in Washington State

Chances are, we’ve all had a moment feeling unnerved while riding an elevator. What if an elevator traps you, or it suddenly drops? Or maybe you’ve squeezed in an elevator that felt a bit too crowded and you’ve wondered about weight capacities.

So today we’ll look at how likely you really are to be in an elevator accident, and who’s most at risk. Since we’re Washington personal injury lawyers, we’re also going to spend some time discussing liability and what legal recourse you have if you find yourself in this unfortunate situation.

How Common are Elevator Injuries?

The good news is that elevator injuries are very rare occurrences. In fact, you’re more likely to get struck by lightning or even hurt going down your stairs. Deaths caused from elevator accidents are even rarer still.

Consider these statistics from the CDC:

• Elevator accidents injure about 17,000 people in the US.
• Elevator accidents kill about 30 people in the US.

To put it into perspective, Americans make about 18 billion elevator trips per year, so only a tiny fraction of those go sideways. While an elevator accident is a frightening event, thankfully, it’s one most of us won’t ever experience.

What are Some Causes of Elevator Accidents?

Even though elevator events are rare, they do still happen. Some of the ways an elevator accident can happen include:

• Faulty wiring
• Falls through an open shaft
• Pulley system malfunction
• Door malfunctions
• Unbalanced leveling (when floors do not line up properly)

It’s important that property owners make sure to have their elevators undergo regular safety inspections. They also have a duty to make sure to complete repairs in the event of a recall.

Who do Elevator Accidents Hurt?

Unfortunately, elevator accidents tend to hurt a few vulnerable groups more than others. These include:

• Elevator workers: The group at highest risk of injury are elevator workers. Workers have been injured and killed when dealing with electrical systems or falling into open shafts
• Construction workers: Freight elevators are designed to carry heavy loads at construction sites. These types of elevators can pose increased danger to construction workers, such as falls
• Children: Elevators have seriously injured, crushed, and even killed children. For example, several children have been killed in home elevators by being pinned between the doors (Sadly, a $100 part may have prevented these accidents)
• Elderly: Elderly populations are at higher risk in general for serious injuries from falls. It’s not surprising then that there have been trips when coming in or off an elevator

All told, work-related incidents account for roughly half of all elevator accidents every year, putting them in the highest risk group.

So, Should I Just Not Worry about Elevator Accidents?

While elevator injuries don’t often happen, there are a couple things that concern us as personal injury attorneys.

First, there is a backlog of elevator inspections. An article published in October 2019 showed that roughly 9,500 of Washington State’s elevators haven’t been inspected in years. This raises the probability that some elevators in operation right now are unsafe.

Our second concern deals with elevator recalls. Currently, if an elevator has a recall, the manufacturer only has to alert the property owner. It’s their responsibility to act and make sure repairs take place. Residents, occupants, workers, and other frequent users of the elevator may have no idea a recall has been issued – or if it’s been addressed.

What are Washington’s Laws about Elevators?

Washington State law has quite a bit to say about elevators, lifting devices, and other moving walkways. When these people movers aren’t property maintained, they can be hazardous to the public. The goal of these laws is to prevent accidents from happening in the first place.

While there are many laws about elevators in Washington – we’re summarizing a few in the table below.