Florida Elevator & Escalator Accident Claims

Elevator and Escalator Malfunctions in Commercial Buildings

Elevators and escalators carry millions of passengers daily across Florida's hotels, shopping malls, and office towers. Mechanical failures—such as sudden drops, misleveling at landing floors, abrupt stops, or comb plate entrapment—frequently inflict severe spine and joint injuries.

Florida Elevator Safety Act Standards

Under the Florida Elevator Safety Act (Florida Statute Chapter 399), property owners and contracted maintenance companies must adhere to rigid inspection and service schedules:

1.Mandatory Annual Inspections:Fla. Stat. § 399.061.

Elevators must undergo state-certified safety inspections annually to retain operating permits.

2.Routine Preventative Maintenance:Contractor Duty.

Maintenance vendors must regularly lubricate cables, inspect braking mechanisms, and test emergency sensors.

3.Immediate Safety Shutdowns:Out-of-Service Protocols.

Units exhibiting misleveling or jerky movement must be taken out of service immediately with safety barriers installed.

Parties Liable for Malfunction Injuries

Liability may rest with the property manager for failing to report known defects, or with the elevator maintenance company for improper servicing under maintenance service contracts.

Under Fla. Stat. § 95.11, the statute of limitations to bring an elevator injury claim in Florida is two years.