Update: More than 15,000 Residential Elevators Recalled After Death of 7-Year-Old
September 29, 2022 – The CPSC is recalling 15,200 residential elevators made by Custom Elevator, more than a year after a child was crushed to death after being trapped in one of the products.
The 7-year-old died in an elevator at a beach rental home in North Carolina’s Outer Banks in July 2021. Found between the bottom of the elevator car and the home’s upper door frame, the boy’s neck was crushed after he apparently became trapped between the moving elevator’s inner accordion door and outer door.
The recall involves elevators used in people’s homes and made by Custom Elevator with either hydraulic drives or winding drum drives. The elevators were sold to contractors nationwide from 2003 through August 2022 for between $10,000 and $25,000.
What’s the Problem?
This recall began on September 10, 2020, and affects traction residential elevators with models LLT-952, LLT-953, LLT-954 and LLT-955.
The elevators were manufactured by Residential Elevators Inc., of Crawfordville, Florida, and sold at Residential Elevators’ dealers and home builders nationwide from January 2014 through April 2017 for between $18,000 and $50,000.
Residential Elevators issued the recall after receiving at least 6 reports of a failure in the motor gearbox assembly.
The recalled elevators were shipped and installed between January 2014 and April 2017, CPSC said.
Consumers who purchased a recalled elevator should stop using it immediately and contact Residential Elevators to schedule a free repair.
The CPSC Recall Number for this item is 20-779.
Otis Elevator Recall
The CPSC on Dec. 17, 2020, announced a recall for about 5,000 Otis and CemcoLift private residence elevators over concerns that “Children can become entrapped in the space between the exterior landing (hoistway) door and the interior elevator car door or gate, and suffer serious injuries or death when the elevator is called to another floor.” CPSC is aware of at least 4 incidents involving an Otis or CemcoLift private residence elevator that resulted in a crushed spine and abdomen, fractured hip, broken arm and feet, and bruising to the face and chest. The recall affects Otis private residence elevators purchased before 2012 and CemcoLift private residence elevators purchased from 1999 to 2012.
Do I Have a Residential Elevator Class Action Lawsuit?
The Class Action Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Residential Elevator Recall Lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new injury cases in all 50 states.
If you or a loved one was injured by a recalled elevator, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a suit and we can help.