A Brooklyn man was seriously injured in an elevator accident in New York Monday. Paul Masdeau was travelling down in an elevator at 1 St. Paul’s Ct. in Prospect Park South when the elevator car stalled inside the shaft. Stuck between the second and third floors, Masdeau called for help from inside the car before attempting to escape. Fearing for his life he tried to pry open the exterior elevator doors and ended up falling.
Rescue crews were already on the way, responding to the stalled elevator call, and arrived in time to save Paul Masdeu. They rushed him to a nearby hospital where he was stabilized. He reportedly suffered only “minor” injuries during the fall and is expected to make a full recovery.
This leaves officials with the difficult job of finding out who was at fault for the accident. At least one resident of the building says the elevator in question was in poor repair with a history of failures and “should have been fixed years ago.” Sham Co., the company which owns the building, has faced harsh criticism in the past for failure to respond to maintenance issues at other properties they own.
However, a preliminary investigation into Department of Buildings records revealed that the elevator had been inspected earlier this summer and deemed operational. A more thorough investigation will be conducted to attempt to determine the reason behind this latest failure. If poor maintenance was to blame for the accident, Sham Co. could be held at least partially liable for Mr. Masdeau’s injuries and be ordered to pay a portion of his expenses.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an elevator accident in New York City, determining liability is a key component of seeking monetary awards for medical expenses, lost wages, and more. Contact a qualified New York City elevator accident attorney immediately to safeguard your right to compensation. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.