PITTSBURGH – A Western Pennsylvania woman is suing the manufacturer of an elevator whose faulty sensor allegedly caused her to become trapped inside the doors of the machine, along with the owner of the building where the incident took place.
Katherine L. Gardone of Monroeville filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on Aug. 7 versus Schindler Elevator Corporation of Morristown, N.J. and Walnut Ivanhoe Partners, LP, also of Monroeville.
“Upon information and belief, defendant Walnut owned, maintained and controlled real property located at 4175 Ivanhoe Drive, Monroeville, PA 15146. Schindler owned, maintained and controlled the elevator located there and built, installed, and maintained that same elevator,” according to the lawsuit.
“At all times relevant hereto, the plaintiff, resided and was lawfully on the premises of the defendants. On or about Sept. 4, 2018, plaintiff was attempting to use the above-referenced elevator, when, suddenly and without warning, the elevator doors closed on her due to a fault sensor causing her to become lodged between the doors and to suffer serious injury.”
The plaintiff claims the defendants failed to take proper precautions such as warning the plaintiff of the danger when it had actual knowledge or should have reasonably known about the defective elevator, failed to properly, install and/or maintain the defective elevator and allowed the defective elevator top to remain in operation for an unreasonable amount of time, among other negligent failures.
Gardone says she suffered fractured ribs, a torn left rotator cuff requiring surgery, severe and continual mid-back pain, severe and continual knee pain and general loss of vitality and good health.
For counts of negligence, the plaintiff is seeking damages in excess of the applicable arbitration limits, exclusive of interest, costs of suit, and a trial by jury.
The plaintiff is represented by Wayne M. Chiurazzi and Edward W. Wertman of The Chiurazzi Law Group, in Pittsburgh.
The defendants have not yet secured legal counsel.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-20-008464
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com