Elevator Accident Lawyer in Houston, TX

Elevators are part of daily life in Houston’s offices, hospitals, apartment buildings, and shopping centers. As a result, most people step inside without a second thought. While elevator trips are seldom eventful, when an elevator suddenly drops, jerks, stalls, or mislevels, the results can be serious. You may be left with painful injuries and facing significant financial setbacks.

If you got hurt in an elevator accident through no fault of your own, you may have the right to pursue compensation from those whose actions or failures caused the incident. A Houston elevator accident lawyer at Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs can help you understand your legal rights and options and take the next steps toward financial recovery.

Our firm has first-hand experience recovering results for victims of elevator accidents and escalator injuries. We obtained a $175,000 settlement for a client who sustained lower back injuries in a hotel elevator accident. We also helped a family obtain a $125,000 trial verdict when a young girl’s hand became lodged in an escalator belt return at a department store. We understand premises liability law in Texas, and we fight for maximum results when an injury occurs on someone else’s property.

Contact us today to get started with a free consultation.

Understanding Elevator Accidents

Elevators are complex machines that require routine maintenance, and they’re subject to strict safety standards. When an accident happens, it’s often due to someone’s preventable failure. Property owners, maintenance companies, manufacturers, or other parties may have overlooked a safety issue or failed to address a known problem.

If another party’s (or multiple parties’) failure contributed to your serious injuries, you have the right to hold them accountable. A personal injury claim can allow you to seek compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. Taking legal action allows you to pursue financial recovery while also reinforcing the importance of proper safety practices in public and private buildings.

Types of Injury Caused by Elevators

Elevator accidents can cause a wide range of harm, including potentially catastrophic injuries, and the force and unpredictability of these incidents may leave victims with serious and sometimes lasting harm.

Common injuries associated with elevator accidents include:

• Crush injuries from closing doors or shifting components
• Foot and ankle fractures caused by sudden drops or misleveling
• Knee injuries from abrupt stops or uneven exits
• Traumatic brain injuries from falls inside the elevator cab
• Spinal cord injuries and herniated discs
• Shoulder injuries from trying to brace oneself during a fall
• Lacerations and deep cuts from exposed metal or shattered panels
• Internal bleeding or organ damage from impact
• Emotional trauma, including anxiety about enclosed spaces

Common Causes of Elevator Malfunction

Elevator systems must be installed properly, inspected regularly, and repaired promptly. Otherwise, the risk of a serious malfunction increases. Some of the issues that commonly contribute to elevator-related injuries include:

• Poor Maintenance – Elevators require routine inspections and servicing. When maintenance is delayed or performed improperly, worn components can fail without warning.
• Defective Door Sensors – Faulty or outdated sensors may not detect passengers in the doorway, causing doors to close on someone entering or exiting the cab.
• Improper Leveling – If an elevator does not align evenly with the floor, passengers can trip over an unexpected gap or step.
• Mechanical Brake Failure – A malfunctioning braking system can cause sudden drops or abrupt stops, throwing passengers off balance.
• Electrical System Problems – Wiring issues or control panel defects may lead to erratic movement, sudden shutdowns, or door malfunctions.
• Manufacturing Defects – In some cases, a design flaw or defective part can make the elevator unsafe even when properly maintained.

Parties Liable in Houston Elevator Accident Cases

After an elevator accident occurs, the party that’s responsible for the resulting harm is said to be legally liable for the accident. Most personal injury cases are based on the concept of negligence, or a failure to use reasonable care. If you got hurt in an elevator accident, you must show that a person or other party’s negligence led to the accident and caused your injuries. Depending on the circumstances, several parties may be liable, including:

• Property Owners – Building owners may be responsible if they failed to inspect, maintain, or repair the elevator in a reasonably safe condition.
• Property Management Companies – A management company that oversees daily operations can be liable if it ignored complaints or delayed necessary maintenance.
• Elevator Maintenance Contractors – If a service company performed careless repairs or failed to identify safety hazards during inspections, it may share responsibility.
• Manufacturers – An elevator manufacturer may be liable if a defective part or design flaw contributed to the malfunction.
• Installation Companies – Improper installation can create ongoing safety risks, leading to liability if those errors cause injury.

Identifying the liable parties after an elevator accident is of the utmost importance because this determines who may be required to pay full and fair compensation for your medical expenses and other losses. By identifying all responsible parties, you can greatly strengthen your claim.

Texas Laws for Elevator Accident Victims

If you were injured in an elevator accident in Houston that someone else’s negligence caused, Texas law gives you the right to pursue compensation for the resulting financial and personal losses. In most cases, these claims are based on general negligence or premises liability, the principle that property owners and others who control a building have a duty to keep their premises reasonably safe and to address known hazards in a reasonable time.

To recover compensation, you must be able to show that a dangerous condition existed, that the responsible party knew or should have known about it, and that their failure to correct it caused your injuries. Evidence such as maintenance logs, inspection records, surveillance footage, and witness statements can play an important role in establishing the liable party’s fault.

At the same time, Texas law places limits on injury claims. For example, the statute of limitations generally gives you just two years from the date of the accident to file an elevator accident lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you may lose the right to seek compensation through the court system. Whether you share responsibility for the accident can also affect the amount of compensation you might recover, and in some cases can bar you from recovery at all. Under Texas law, if you’re more than 50 percent at fault, you can’t recover compensation; if you’re 50 percent at fault or less, the court will reduce your recovery by your percentage of fault.

Compensation For Being Injured in an Elevator

An elevator accident can leave you facing a range of losses on top of the physical pain associated with your injuries. The good news is that a successful injury claim may allow you to recover compensation for all of your accident-related losses, be they physical, financial, or personal. You may be able to recover compensation for:

• Medical expenses, including future medical treatment and rehabilitation
• Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
• Physical pain and suffering, and mental anguish
• Physical impairment or disfigurement
• Out-of-pocket expenses related to your injury

Given the high stakes, working with a lawyer can make a meaningful difference in the outcome of your case. An experienced elevator accident lawyer can evaluate the full extent of your losses, gather supporting evidence, and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. Their efforts can help position you to recover the maximum compensation available.

Why Choose Our Houston Elevator Accident Attorneys?

Your choice of an attorney can significantly affect both the outcome of your injury claim and your experience throughout the process. Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs has been helping the injured for decades, and our board-certified attorneys can handle even the most complex injury claims for Texans harmed by other parties’ carelessness. We’ve recovered over $1 billion for our clients, including a $600,000 settlement in a premises liability claim, and the people we work with express a great deal of satisfaction in the support we provide. As one client wrote:

“Tommy Fibich is a man of impeccable integrity and passion for representing individuals and companies that have been wronged. Tommy took the time to listen to and carefully evaluate our predicament. When he concluded that we had been wronged, he and Jay Henderson then proceeded to aggressively represent us with the dedication, ability, experience and reputation that produced a wonderful outcome for our company!”

When you turn to Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs for legal counsel after a Houston elevator accident, you can expect to receive personalized care and attention at every stage of the legal process and a team that will fight for every dollar you deserve. We provide our legal services at no financial risk to you – the initial consultation is always free, and we don’t get paid unless we recover compensation for you.

Contact Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs Today to Get Help

If you got hurt in an accident involving an elevator, you deserve the opportunity to hold a negligent property owner or maintenance provider accountable for the harm they’ve caused you. Let the team at Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs be your advocates along the way. Our elevator accident law firm will investigate the accident, pursue compensation from the responsible parties, and take your case to court if that’s what offers us the strongest opportunity to secure a favorable outcome. Contact our office today to book a free initial consultation with a Houston elevator accident attorney and learn more about your next steps after an accident.