St. Louis Injury Lawyer Blog

As the procrastinators, shopaholics and the final crush of holiday shoppers hit the malls this week, St. Louis Injury Attorney Ryan R. Cox wishes you and your family a happy holiday.

Our staff also reminds you to watch small children at the mall, and to stay safe around elevators and escalators, which pose their own hazards this time of year. Whether from overuse, large crowds, poor maintenance, snow and ice or wet slippery conditions, elevator and escalator accidents in St. Louis are a common danger this time of year, particularly for small children or the elderly.

Each year in the United States, elevator and escalator accidents kill about 30 people and seriously injure more than 17,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Consumer Products Safety Commission.

The National Elevator Industry provides the following safety tips:

Elevator Safety

-Know your destination.

-Stand clear of elevator doors and stand aside of exiting passengers.

-Don't attempt to board a full car.

-Don't attempt to stop moving elevator doors with a body part.

-Always use the stairs in the event of a fire or evacuation emergency.

Escalator Safety

-Use extra care when stepping on or off.

-Take care when wearing glasses, particularly bifocals.

-Hold a child's hand.

-Always have a hand available to use handrail.

-Do not take strollers, handcarts or similar items on escalator.

-Secure loose clothing.

-Avoid open-toed footwear or shoes made of rubber material.

-Do not let children sit on steps or ride too close to the sides.

Continue reading "St. Louis elevator and escalator accidents a holiday shopping danger" »

Business owners have a responsibility for the safety of customers, employees and invited guests this holiday season. When a negligent condition leads to serious injury or death, a St. Louis injury attorney should be consulted to protect your rights and the financial well-being of you and your family.

There is no busier time of year for shopping malls and big box retailers. In fact, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration is warning employers about safe crowd control measures and the fact that they have an obligation to protect the safety and welfare of customers and employees alike.

"Crowd-related injuries during special retail sales and promotional events have increased during recent years," said Assistant Secretary for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "Many of these incidents can be prevented by adopting a crowd management plan... for avoiding injuries during the holiday shopping season."

As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported, the Black Friday shopping season got off to a great start. Thousands are hitting the stores in freezing temperatures. Retailers are reporting strong sales amid great bargains advertised to draw large crowds.

Now they must put at least as much emphasis on keeping people safe.

St. Louis premise liability cases can arise from a wide variety of facts and circumstances during the holiday season, including:

-Slip and fall accidents

-Dark parking lots

-Cracked or uneven parking lots or sidewalks

-Wet and slippery floors

-Elevator and Escalator accidents

-Merchandise falling from high shelves

-Faulty handrails

-Dark or faulty stairwells

-Negligent security

-Assault on business property

-Evacuation injuries

Continue reading "St. Louis premise liability dangers lurk amid large holiday crowds" »