An elevator that occurred at Giants Stadium four years ago reached a settlement halfway through the first day of the trial. The company that maintained the escalators at the stadium, Schindler Elevator Corp., agreed on a settlement with the eight injured fans, but the figures have not been disclosed. According to the Washington Post, the eight injured patrons will continue their lawsuit against the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which oversaw safety at the stadium. The lawsuit alleged that the elevator abruptly sped up, trapping limbs between the metal stairs, as well as suddenly stopped, sending fans tumbling down the escalator. The injuries occurred after the 2007 regular season game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.
The most injured of the eight plaintiffs was Michael Harris, who ended up having his right leg amputated below the knee. Joseph Capuano also experienced a catastrophic injury after his foot was caught in the escalator. He has since had fifteen surgeries and whether his foot will be saved is still uncertain. Schindler’s attorney reportedly commented, “The parties have been engaged for quite some time in negotiations, and those negotiations concluded a short time ago. The company expresses its sympathy to all the plaintiffs and wishes them the best.”
The lawsuit points to two accidents, in 2000 and 2006, which occurred involving the escalators in Giants Stadium. After the first incident, the escalators underwent expensive refurbishing but the accident in 2006 further highlighted the risks of overloading. The lawsuit faulted Schindler for failing to make required inspections and for not replacing a faulty part. In addition, as reported by Businessweek, charged that the NJ Sports and Exposition Authority did not properly limit the number of people allowed on the escalator. Giants Stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was demolished in 2010 and rebuilt as MetLife Stadium for the New York Giants and the New York Jets.
Catastrophic accidents, like the ones that occurred to the Giants Stadium patrons, can be extremely detrimental to the quality of life of an individual. Injuries like these can be devastating both physically and mentally, can prevent a person from being able to work and provide for their family, and can drastically change their quality of life. If you or a loved one is injured due to the negligence of an individual or company, you may be eligible to enter a lawsuit to try to recover your losses. Contact a dedicated New York personal injury attorney to see if you might be entitled to pursue legal recourse in the form of compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.