Elevator Fall Injuries And Deaths | Slip and Fall Attorney | Elevator Safety Tips

This week we covered the tragic story of 34-year-old drummer Jerry Fuchs – a Williamsburg, Brooklyn resident who fell to his death after trying to jump from a struck freight elevator. Unfortunately elevator falls in New York City are all too common, with hundreds of elevator-related injuries occurring each year and dozens of fatalities. Though the majority of elevator fall accident and elevator injury accidents are not fatal, it is important to understand the basics of elevator safety and prevent elevator accidents.

According to New York City’s buildings commissioner, Robert D. LiMandri, if you become stuck in an elevator, you should never jump out of the elevator in an attempt to reach a floor. Instead, you should ring for help, relax, and wait for emergency workers. With 60,000 elevators in NYC and millions of daily passengers, elevator safety may be more important than you think.

The New York Times reports that LiMandri has been canvassing Brooklyn public schools teaching elevator safety. He recalls the death of 5-year-old Jacob Neuman last year – a boy whose Brooklyn housing project elevator stalled between floors. When the boy decided to try to jump down to the floor below, he fell 10 stories. In the case of Newman, the elevator suffered from electrical problems. In the case of Fuchs, the lack of a trained operator caused the lift to stop between stories. Again, he stresses that all passengers should stay clear of elevator doors and never jump from a stalled elevator under any circumstances.

Other elevator safety tips:

• Never let a child ride the elevator alone.
• Hold on the elevator handrail in case of an accident.
• Be mindful of lose clothing, purses, and parcels.
• Watch for loose shoelaces.