Family Files Lawsuit Against Supermarket After Child Loses Fingers in Escalator Accident
A Utah family recently filed an escalator injury lawsuit against a supermarket chain after their child tragically lost two of her fingers in a catastrophic escalator accident. The lawsuit also names the escalator manufacturer as party to the claim, alleging the plaintiff’s child suffered her injuries as a result of negligence on the part of both companies. The claim seeks compensation for the child’s pain and suffering, emotional distress, and medical bills.
According to the escalator amputation lawsuit, the life-changing injury took place at Smith’s Marketplace (a subsidiary of Kroger) in Salt Lake City, Utah because the store did not properly maintain the machine that injured the child. Additionally, the claim states the escalator had missing or defective safety parts, which also contributed to the child’s injuries, and went unattended to by the manufacturer and store management.
The plaintiffs allege that as the mother was checking-out at the register, her daughter evaded attention and stuck her hand inside the escalator comb plate – the component used in the transition area between the steps and the fixed parts in the areas of the entrance and exit landings. Despite a store attendant shutting off the escalator as quickly as possible, collecting the child’s severed fingers, and rushing her to the hospital, doctors could not reattach the child’s fingers.
The lawsuit states that the child was able to place her fingers in the danger zone because the escalator had missing or broken comb teeth. (It is also believed that state inspectors had advised the store to repair the broken teeth in September of 2015, but the claim states this did not happen.) Furthermore, the escalator did not shut off and the machine’s safety switches did not engage when the child placed her fingers inside.
Documents filed with the court further state that the escalator permit to operate in the store expired 17 days before the accident took place in September 2017, and that the machine had not been in compliance with state safety laws for another two years prior to the incident. Sadly, the case is a tragic example of the repercussions that can take place when property owners and escalator manufacturers do not exercise reasonable care to prevent foreseeable injuries from taking place.
Although nothing can undo the harm caused by a serious escalator injury, filing a legal claim can help hold wrongdoers accountable for their negligent acts and send a message that society will not tolerate indifference to public safety. Furthermore, escalator accident lawsuits can recover vital compensation needed to pay for medical bills, hospital expenses, lost wages while out of work, and the pain and suffering of undergoing such a catastrophic event.
Atlanta, Georgia Escalator Accident Lawyers
If you or a loved one were seriously hurt in an accident because of someone else’s negligence, contact the Atlanta personal injury lawyers of Cash, Krugler & Fredericks, LLC for a free consultation about your case. Let our experienced injury attorneys handle your case while you and your family focus on healing and recovery.
