A day of shopping and sightseeing turned tragic for two young women from New Jersey early last week. 29-year old Jenny Santos and her twin sister were on their way home after a day in New York City when Santos tried to grab a hat her sister had lost. She lost her balance and fell over the escalator handrail. Eyewitnesses estimate she tumbled approximately 30-feet to the marble floor below.
EMT’s arrive within minutes of the terrible fall and rushed Santos to a nearby hospital but she was declared dead on arrival.
The Oculus is the multi-million dollar transportation hub that was built to replace the terminal destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But visitors have questioned the safety of the escalators since the hub opened. This tragic escalator accident in New York City shows that the handrails simply aren’t high enough to prevent falls. Many question whether the Port Authority (which oversees the Oculus) should build safety rails or a glass wall to prevent further accidents.
One passerby recalled how “the same thing happened at Shea Stadium” shortly after the redesign. In fact, there were two tragic escalator accidents in Queens that year: 36-year-old Antonio Nararainsami died in front of his daughter after a fall in April; three months later 26-year old Jason Larson fell and was seriously injured.
If the owner or operating/management company of a property is aware of a potential fall hazard, such as short side railings, yet fails to rectify the problem or should have been aware of a potential fall hazard, they could potentially be held liable for any injuries or deaths that occur because of the failure to remedy the condition.
If you’ve been injured in any of the city’s private retail establishments, public transportation stations, or residential buildings, you need an experienced New York City escalator accident attorney on your side. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 today.