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Moving walkways are a popular feature of big venues that want to offer their visitors an alternative to walking long distances. Although they are usually safe, they can sometimes cause slip-and-fall accidents. When someone falls on a moving walkway, the continuing motion of the track can aggravate injuries and make it more difficult for others to assist the fallen person.
A few cases over the years have reported articles of clothing and even fingers and toes being caught in the end of a moving walkway. Such cases can lead to significant injury or even death. Someone injured on a moving walkway may have the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit against the owner or operator of the walkway. Moving walkways invariably are found in public spaces. A business or other venue that is open to the public has a relatively high duty of care to maintain its facilities in reasonably safe condition. Emergency stop switches, railings, and walkway beds all need to be maintained to ensure that someone can use them safely and reliably. This extends to changing circumstances, such as if someone spills liquid that makes the walkway slippery, provided that the defendant had notice about the problem, or should have followed reasonable practices to discover it (such as through a routine inspection schedule).
If a venue fails to properly maintain its moving walkways, and as a consequence someone is injured, the injured person may have a cause of action under a theory of premises liability. A premises liability claim can be brought against the owner of the venue as well as anyone who is responsible for its actual operation, such as a leaseholder or management company. A moving walkway may be perfectly well maintained but still cause injuries if someone is tripped by it as they get on or off. Falls may also happen if two riders collide. Whether a venue is responsible for injuries of this kind will depend on the facts of the case. In the case of a collision, if an individual caused an injury by pushing the plaintiff out of the way, the “pusher” may bear liability.
For more than 50 years GGRM Law Firm has helped injured plaintiffs in the Las Vegas area seek compensation for their injuries. If you have been injured by a moving walkway and would like to explore your legal options, call us today for a free attorney consultation at 702-384-1616 or reach us through our contact page.