A 13-year-old girl suffered injuries in an escalator accident after her hand got tangled under the handrail of an escalator at a mall in Santa Ana. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the incident occurred at the south end of the MainPlace Mall on July 31. She had to be freed by about eight firefighters as bystanders watched.
Traumatic Incident
The girl was given pain medication as rescuers disassembled the mechanism. Then, officials said a small Dremel was used to grind away the remaining plastic and metal binding her hand. The entire process took over an hour. The girl was loaded into an ambulance with her right arm wrapped in bandages. She is in stable condition, although her injuries’ nature and extent are unclear. How her hand wound up trapped under the handrail is also unknown.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to this girl and her family, who suffered through this traumatic incident. We wish her the very best for a speedy and full recovery.
Injuries and Potential Compensation
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), about 11,000 escalator-related injuries occur yearly. About 90% occur due to a fall, while 10% result from entrapment of the foot or hand. Also, about 6% of escalator-related accidents happen to children. Studies show that while the leg was overall the most commonly injured limb, injuries to the hand were the most frequently injured body part in children under the age of 5.
In such cases, several potential parties may be held liable depending on the facts and circumstances, such as the property owner, manager, the escalator maintenance company, the manufacturer of a defective escalator, etc. Victims may be able to seek compensation for damages, including medical expenses, lost income, cost of treatment, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. An experienced Santa Ana personal injury lawyer will be able to advise victims and their families regarding their legal rights and options.
New Update (8/5/2022)
Girl Describes Harrowing Escalator Injury in Santa Ana Mall
Lisa Cox, 11, says she is still in pain after her hand became stuck in an escalator at MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana. According to a KTLA news report, Cox, her cousin, and her older sister had been dropped off at the mail to watch a movie when the girls got on the escalator. Cox said the escalator was going down when she noticed her shoes were untied. Her shoelace was caught in the moving steps.
Traumatic Experience and Injury
She said she tried pulling her shoestring out and managed to get it out but fell backward. Nearing ground level, Lisa said she tried to pull herself up using the moving handrail. But, she lost her balance, and her hand was pulled under. She said it felt like “somebody was sucking her hand up with a vacuum.” Her hand became trapped, and her older sister screamed for help while her cousin pushed the emergency shutoff button. Lisa said it took great effort to get the mechanism to shut off.
When emergency personnel arrived, Lisa said her forearm was almost fully wedged in the handrail’s base. Emergency personnel used specialized rescue tools, and it took more than an hour to rescue her. She was then rushed off to the hospital. Her mother, Lisa Roush, believes the elevator had a faulty shutoff button because it didn’t stop when it was pushed. The mall had defended the shutoff button in a statement. However, mall officials would not allow KTLA to review the footage.
We are relieved to note that Lisa Cox is doing better and was not critically injured in this escalator accident in Santa Ana. We wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Liability Issues
In this case, the family believes the escalator’s emergency stop button was not working properly because it did not stop the escalator once it was pushed, causing Lisa’s arm to get further stuck in the device. In such cases, victims and their families must contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer who will conduct an independent investigation and obtain important evidence such as eyewitness testimony, surveillance tapes, and escalator maintenance records to help determine fault and liability.
Source: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/girl-describes-terrifying-encounter-that-led-to-her-arm-being-stuck-inside-of-santa-ana-escalator/
Source: https://www.ocregister.com/2022/08/01/girls-hand-trapped-in-escalator-handrail-at-santa-ana-mall/
