Attorneys and insurance companies utilize The Elevator Consultants’ elevator, escalator and moving walkway expertise for a variety of legal and insurance incidents.
The Elevator Consultants does not sell, install, service, or supply parts for elevators or escalators. We have no manufacturer affiliation and no financial interest in what a repair costs or who performs it.
We are retained by both plaintiff and defense counsel. We do not represent elevator companies. Our work includes independent technical analysis, findings and reporting.
Attorneys encounter various incidents including accidents, disputes, safety concerns and many others requiring them to utilize The Elevator Consultants’ expertise, knowledge of the equipment and the elevator industry. The Elevator Consultants recognizes the precious time, skill and recommendations that attorneys need to resolve a situation immediately and accurately.
Insurance companies are faced with claims, lawsuits, repairs and other insurance-related issues. Tapping into the elevator industry experience of The Elevator Consultants allows for economical savings while keeping safety at the forefront. The Elevator Consultants understands the challenges insurance companies are faced with and delivers quick and accurate results.
The Elevator Consultants’ evaluation and expert testimony services:
- Full evaluation of equipment damage or deficiencies.
- In-depth investigation which will show the causes of the incident.
- Analysis of the maintenance records, service tickets, and callback history behind the incident.
- Repair and remediation options, with the scope and cost implications of each.
- A detailed report of the results of the investigation.
- Efficient project management.
- Regular updates on the progress of the investigation, including punch list evaluation.
- Passenger entrapments and delayed rescue
- Door strike, closing force, and door reopening device failures
- Misleveling and trip-and-fall incidents at the sill
- Escalator falls, entrapments, and step and comb damage
- Deferred or improper maintenance, and callback history disputes
- Maintenance contract and scope of work disputes
- Code compliance under ASME A17.1, A17.2, and A17.3
- Water intrusion and equipment damage claims
Our inspectors hold QEI certification. We work in the elevator code every day: ASME A17.1, A17.2, and A17.3, Category 1, 3, and 5 testing, and maintenance control program requirements. The Elevator Consultants audits more than 2,000 elevators a year across healthcare, hospitality, commercial office, and institutional portfolios. That volume is why we can say what normal looks like, and where a particular unit departed from it.
Our experts have produced reports, given deposition testimony, and testified at trial. We accept engagements nationwide.
Our expertise in all things concerning elevators, escalators, and moving walkways makes us qualified to be an expert witness. Our services benefit attorneys and insurance companies and help them navigate complex elevator contracts and liabilities. We have been called upon to be a vertical transportation expert witness in many different disputes and litigation.
- Attorneys handling litigation surrounding accidents, disputes, and safety concerns rely on the Elevator Consultants’ expertise and knowledge of the equipment and the elevator industry to understand the technical issues. Our service as an expert witness draws on our experience in all aspects of the vertical transportation industry and our professionalism to assist attorneys.
- For insurance-related litigation, we review the available evidence and explain the technical findings to the legal team. The scope and schedule are established for the matter.
- Conflict check. Send us the parties and the property.
- Records. Maintenance logs, service tickets, callback history, the contract, inspection reports, and any photographs or video.
- Site inspection, where the equipment is still available, coordinated with counsel’s evidence-preservation instructions.
- Written findings, with the code and contract basis for each conclusion.
- Deposition and trial testimony.
The Elevator Consultants works with your team and follows all industry best practices. Each situation is different, and the value of a true elevator expert witness is to present facts and findings based on our depth of knowledge and industry expertise.
What does an elevator expert witness do?
Establishes what the equipment did, why, and whether the maintenance and the code were followed. That means inspecting the unit where possible, reading the maintenance and callback records, comparing the work performed against the contract and against ASME A17.1, and putting the findings in writing in a form that holds up in deposition.
Do you work for plaintiff or defense?
Both. We do not represent elevator companies.
Do you review maintenance records and service history?
Yes, and it is often where the case is decided. Callback patterns, missed Category testing, unperformed contract scope, and gaps in the maintenance control program are documented facts, not opinions.
Are you independent of the elevator companies?
Yes. The Elevator Consultants does not sell, install, service, or supply parts, and has no manufacturer affiliation.
Do you handle escalators and moving walkways?
Yes. We perform escalator surveys, modernization consulting and keep-or-remove studies in retail, hospitality, healthcare, stadium, office, and transportation settings.
Where do you work?
Nationwide, headquartered in the United States.
What is a QEI?
A Qualified Elevator Inspector, certified under ASME QEI-1. It is the credential that qualifies a person to inspect and witness testing of elevator equipment.
If you are looking for an elevator expert witness, The Elevator Consultants can help.