Late last year a 37-year old man was killed in an elevator accident in Brooklyn. Eran Modan was exiting an elevator in East Williamsburg when the car suddenly dropped, crushing him to death. Now the homeowners association in charge of the apartment building is suing the manufacturers of the elevator, claiming their machinery doesn’t meet New York City Department of Buildings safety standards.
The elevator in question is manufactured by Global Tardif Manufacturing Group and employs a braking system built by Warner Brakes. The suit alleges that the braking system is insufficient to stop the downward motion of a loaded elevator car. However, at the time of the accident the maintenance company in charge of inspecting the elevator said that the accident was caused because the car was overloaded. However, New York City elevator safety regulations require that the elevator braking system must be capable of stopping a car even if it’s carrying up to 125% of its posted weight capacity.
The investigation of the fatal elevator accident in New York City also spurred NYC building inspectors to require that all similar lifts citywide be immediately retrofitted to bring them up to current safety standards. It’s estimated that roughly 60 buildings across the city use that particular model of Global Tardif lift.
But this latest lawsuit isn’t the only potential legal action stemming from the fatal elevator accident in Brooklyn. In addition to the civil lawsuit filed by the building’s homeowners association, the manufacturer and maintenance company could potentially be facing a lawsuit from the victim’s surviving family members. Similar, death and injury cases have resulted in financial awards for medical and funeral expenses and lost income.
If you or a loved one has been hurt in any kind of elevator accident in New York, you could be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. Contact an expert New York City elevator accident attorney today to discuss your case confidentially. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.