A dumbwaiter — which is a small elevator used for carrying items between floors — struck a 32-year-old repairman inside the shaft, causing serious injuries. According to a report in the New York Daily News, the elevator accident occurred at a social club on East 54th Street near Park Avenue. Firefighters had to remove sections of the walls the afternoon of March 25 to pull the trapped man who worked for an elevator company, the Daily News reported. The worker was rushed to a local hospital, FDNY officials said. He was listed in serious but stable condition.
Elevator Company Hit with Violation
Officials said the man was making repairs to the dumbwaiter when it gave way. When first responders arrived at the scene, they found the fallen dumbwaiter on top of the worker. Firefighters initially attempted to lift the elevator, but it began to shake. So, they decided to break the walls and pull the worker out, officials said. The victim is expected to survive.
The New York City Buildings Department’s elevator division investigators said they learned that the repairman was in the pit of the elevator shaft working on the hoist cables when the dumbwaiter cab plummeted on top of him. The department gave the elevator company a summons for failing to safeguard the dumbwaiter and issued a cease-use order preventing the club from using it until it was fully repaired and inspected. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured worker. We wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Elevator Shaft Accident Injuries Can Be Severe
Elevator shaft accidents are among the most dangerous and often fatal incidents involving elevators. These accidents typically occur due to falls into open shafts, mechanical failures or improper maintenance. Victims may suffer catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI), spinal cord damage, multiple fractures, internal bleeding and even amputations.
Falls into elevator shafts are particularly deadly, as the impact from falling multiple stories can cause blunt force trauma. Workers performing maintenance or repairs are at high risk for such accidents and injuries. Passengers may also fall into shafts due to malfunctioning doors that open without an elevator present.
Crushing injuries are another serious risk. If someone becomes trapped between the elevator and the shaft wall or between floors, they may suffer severe crushing injuries, leading to broken bones, organ damage or even suffocation. Survivors often face long-term disabilities and psychological trauma, including PTSD. Recovery may require extensive medical treatment, surgeries and rehabilitation. Preventing elevator shaft accidents requires strict adherence to safety measures, including regular inspections, proper signage and worker safety training.
Liability Issues
Liability in elevator shaft accidents depends on several factors. Typically, responsibility may fall on the building owner/manager, the elevator maintenance company, or the manufacturer, etc. In such cases, victims may be able to seek workers’ compensation insurance. They may also be able to file a third-party claim for additional compensation.
Building owners/managers have a duty to ensure that elevators and shafts are well-maintained and comply with safety codes. If they fail to schedule routine inspections or address known hazards, they could be held liable for injuries. Similarly, if a maintenance company neglects proper repairs or fails to follow safety procedures, it can also be responsible for an accident.
Companies are also required to provide workers with adequate safety equipment and training. If a company fails to enforce proper protocols — such as harness use or lockout/tagout procedures — it may bear liability under OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations. In some cases, manufacturers of defective elevator components may be held liable if faulty parts contribute to an accident.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in an elevator/escalator accident or suffered injuries as a result of negligence (carelessness) on the part of property owners and/or property managers, elevator maintenance companies, etc., the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. For over 53 years, our skilled attorneys have established a proven track record of assisting injured victims.
Our law firm recovered $3,000,000 for a man who fell and suffered two broken legs when he walked into an open elevator shaft. In an interview by the Canadian television station Global News after a fatal escalator accident in Montreal, Mr. Kenneth A. Wilhelm stated that the installation of emergency stop buttons that are easily located and run the entire length of the escalator stairs may go a long way in preventing escalator accident injuries and fatalities. Our law firm helped a client secure $1,750,000 in a case where she suffered an ankle injury requiring surgery when the elevator she was in fell four floors due to negligence (carelessness) on the part of the elevator maintenance company. In addition, we got the workers’ compensation insurance company to pay a $150,000 lump sum for future medical benefits. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source: https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/03/26/dumbwaiter-crashes-worker-midtown-social-club/