When elevators malfunction, the consequences can be severe. Broken bones, spinal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries are all common outcomes of elevator accidents, and the path to compensation is rarely straightforward. An elevator accident lawyer in Maywood can identify who is responsible, build the case, and fight to make sure you’re fully compensated.
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., our Maywood personal injury lawyers have been handling complex injury cases (such as ones involving faulty elevators) across Illinois since 2002. We have recovered over $100 million for injured clients firm-wide.
There’s no fee for you unless we win your case. Get in touch today to start building your claim.
Who Can Be Held Liable for an Elevator Accident
Unlike a straightforward car accident where fault usually falls on one driver, elevator accident liability can be spread across multiple parties. Identifying all of them is one of the most important things a lawyer does in these cases because missing a liable party means leaving compensation on the table. Potentially responsible parties include:
- Building owners and property managers: under Illinois premises liability law, property owners have a duty to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. A poorly maintained elevator is a direct violation of that duty.
- Elevator maintenance companies: if a contracted service company failed to properly inspect, service, or repair the elevator, they may share liability for any resulting injuries.
- Elevator manufacturers: if a defective component caused or contributed to the accident, the manufacturer may be liable under Illinois product liability law.
- Construction or renovation contractors: if recent work on the elevator or the building contributed to the malfunction, the contractor responsible may also be named.
Illinois law requires elevator owners to maintain valid certificates of inspection issued by the Illinois Department of Labor. Failure to comply with inspection requirements can be powerful evidence of negligence in a personal injury claim. Our elevator accident attorney in Maywood will investigate every angle and make sure every responsible party is held accountable.
Common Types of Elevator Accidents
Elevator accidents take many forms. Some involve mechanical failures; others involve maintenance neglect or design defects. The most common types we handle include:
- Free falls and sudden drops: caused by cable failures, brake malfunctions, or control system errors
- Misleveling: when the elevator cab stops above or below the floor level, creating a tripping hazard at the threshold
- Door malfunctions: doors that close too quickly, fail to reopen when obstructed, or trap passengers
- Entrapment: passengers stuck between floors, sometimes for extended periods, leading to physical and psychological harm
- Overcrowding and overloading: when weight limits are exceeded due to inadequate warnings or faulty sensors
- Falls in and out of the cab: caused by sudden movements, misleveling, or door failures
No matter how your accident happened, the key question is whether someone’s negligence (in maintaining, inspecting, or designing the elevator) contributed to your injury. A Maywood elevator accident lawyer can answer that question and build a case around it.
What Your Elevator Accident Claim May Be Worth
The value of an elevator accident claim depends on the nature and severity of your injuries, the impact on your ability to work, and the degree of negligence involved. Under Illinois law, injured victims can pursue the following:
| Economic damages, including current and future medical bills, surgery and rehabilitation costs, lost wages during recovery, reduced earning capacity if your injuries affect your ability to work long-term, and any out-of-pocket expenses tied to your injury and recovery, such as transportation to medical appointments or home care assistance. | Non-economic damages, such as physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of normal daily activities, and permanent disfigurement or scarring. These losses don’t come with a receipt, but they are just as real, and Illinois law allows full recovery for all of them. |
In cases where the responsible party’s conduct was particularly egregious, such as knowingly ignoring failed inspection reports or skipping required maintenance, punitive damages may also be available where there is clear and convincing evidence of willful and wanton conduct.
Serious elevator injuries often require long-term care. Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and permanent orthopedic damage can affect your quality of life and earning capacity for years. Every bit of that future cost needs to be built into your claim before you settle.
Why Choose Charlie for Your Maywood Elevator Accident Case
Elevator accident cases require a lawyer who knows how to investigate complex liability, deal with multiple insurance carriers, and build a case that accounts for the full long-term impact of your injuries. That’s exactly what we do.
Charlie Therman built this firm after working on the insurance side at Allstate. He knows how insurers evaluate claims, what arguments they use to minimize payouts, and where injured people are most at risk of being shortchanged. That perspective shapes how we approach every case. It’s something most firms simply don’t have.
We’re also a boutique firm, which means you get direct access to your legal team from day one. No case managers, no runaround. We also have relationships with medical providers who treat patients on a lien, so you can get the care you need right now without paying out of pocket, even if you don’t have health insurance.
Over $100 million recovered. 75 years of combined experience. No fee unless we win.
Contact Our Elevator Accident Lawyer in Maywood Now
Elevator accident cases move quickly, and not in your favor if you wait. Inspection records get updated, maintenance logs go missing, surveillance footage gets overwritten, and the parties responsible start building their defense long before victims take action.
The sooner you have legal representation, the stronger your position. Our experienced team can step in immediately to preserve evidence, identify every liable party, and make sure nothing critical is lost before your case is built.
Reach out to Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C. for a free consultation. We’ll review what happened, walk you through your legal options, and give you a straight answer about what your claim may be worth. Choose Charlie—and put your recovery first.
