Big Win For Client Injured By Elevator Malfunction

In April 2023, our client and her husband were attending a funeral service at a Nashville funeral home. What should have been a solemn day of remembrance quickly turned into a terrifying experience. As our client exited the funeral home’s elevator, the doors suddenly malfunctioned. They closed abruptly and forcefully until her husband was able to pry them open. The incident left our client in excruciating pain and caused serious injuries, including a torn rotator cuff, a severe shoulder tear that required surgery.

The physical pain was only part of the aftermath. Our client’s recovery required extensive medical treatment and ongoing rehabilitation. The injuries caused her to experience severe pain which restricted her ability to perform daily activities and created effects that reached beyond her physical harm. Her condition also deeply affected her husband, as he was forced to take on additional responsibilities as well as experiencing the loss of companionship and support from his wife. Our clients were facing mounting medical expenses, emotional distress, and the uncertainty of a long and difficult recovery.

When our client and her husband reached out to Weir and Kestner Injury Lawyers, our team began to look into this case. We found that employees at the funeral home were aware that the elevator was malfunctioning and that the doors were closing far too quickly, yet no steps were taken to fix the problem or warn the visitors of the dangers. The funeral home staff knew about the safety issue yet they failed to warn visitors. The funeral home had failed to perform adequate maintenance on a known hazard which put our client at an unreasonable risk.

We spent many hours building a strong legal case showing that the defendants not only knew about the defective elevator, but also failed to train and supervise their employees to provide adequate warnings to visitors. The defendant violated their responsibility to warn of known dangers to invited visitors. We fought to secure full compensation for our client’s injuries and her husband’s losses. After months of negotiations, we secured compensation for our client for her medical treatment, ongoing treatment, pain and suffering, and the effect the injuries had on their relationship.

At Weir and Kestner Injury Lawyers, we hold property owners and businesses responsible when they fail to protect those who rely on them to provide a safe environment. We know Tennessee premises liability law. By standing with our client and her husband, we ensured their story was heard, suffering was acknowledged, and they received the justice they deserved. Contact us today if you need advice for your premises liability case.