Elevator and Escalator Accident Reconstruction and Litigation: Fourth Edition

Be prepared for litigation in the U.S., Canada and U.K. with this wealth of knowledge from industry and courtroom experts.

Elevator and Escalator Accident Reconstruction and Litigation: Fourth Edition by James Filippone, Joel D. Feldman, Ronald D. Schloss, David A. Cooper, Joseph L. Stabler and Gabriel F. Zambrano covers a wide range of topics to inform readers to help them succeed in elevator-industry-related litigation. The book intends to help the reader determine the difference between accidents that are more “in the wrong place at the wrong time,” show disregard for the equipment involved, or are due to sheer negligence or incompetence. The recently released new fourth edition revises and adds new content, with the most up-to-date information.

Topics include:

• Codes, regulations and related subjects for the U.S., with consideration of Canada and the U.K.
• Accident statistics and selected incidents
• The elements of typical escalator accidents
• Reviewing and understanding maintenance documents
• Pre-suit investigation: should a suit be instituted?
• Legal theories and negligence
• A sample expert report
• Pleadings with an excerpt of a typical complaint
• Discovery with sample interrogatories, requests for production of documents and corporate designee notices
• Expert opinions and applications

In addition to many illustrations and photos, the book includes an extensive index and glossary of terms. Throughout, it lists questions to ask yourself and provides examples that illustrate things to look out for when involved in a case.

The 511-page hardcover, published by Lawyers & Judges Publishing, is available at www.elevatorbooks.com. The experienced authors have investigated numerous elevator and escalator accidents. Their expertise will provide a basic understanding of the issues to help the reader confidently proceed in elevator-industry- related litigation.

About the Authors

James Filippone is a mechanical engineer who started his career in the design and construction of nuclear power plants. He joined the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey years later and started his elevator and escalator career, where he inspected, evaluated maintenance, tested for code compliance, investigated accidents and more. He has had jurisdiction over approximately 900 elevators and 500 escalators/moving walks.

Filippone is licensed in New Jersey and is a QEI-certified inspector. He is also a licensed professional engineer in New York and New Jersey. He has been deeply involved with development of ASME A17.1 and the ASME A17.2 Inspectors’ Manual for Elevators and Escalators. He has served on many A17 code committees and is a member of the NYC Elevator Code Committee.

Joel D. Feldman has been an attorney since 1981 and is a shareholder and managing partner of the Philadelphia law firm of Anapol, Schwartz, Cohan, Feldman & Smalley, P.C. He has been an associate editor of the Philadelphia Country Reporter and is admitted to the bar in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where he frequently lectures. He has also authored several articles pertinent to litigation.

Ronald D. Schloss is executive director of SEEC, LLC, which he founded in 1996. He is an elevator consultant and electrical engineer with a lifelong dedication to the vertical-transportation industry. In his 50-plus-year career, Schloss has been an installer for Otis, and a maintenance technician, engineer and manager for Westinghouse (later Schindler). He has frequently authored books and articles for such publications as ELEVATOR WORLD and is a member of the International Association of Elevator Consultants, National Association of Elevator Contractors and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). He is also a longtime member of several ASME A17 code committees.

David A. Cooper has more than 30 years of experience in the lift and escalator industry. He is managing director of LECS (UK) Ltd. and editor of EW UK. He holds several degrees with an emphasis on accident investigations. He also holds a Master of Philosophy Research Degree following a five-year investigation into accidents on escalators, an MSc in Lift Engineering and other certificates and a BS in lift and escalator engineering. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and a past president of its Lifts Group. He has coauthored several books and was lead author of CIBSE Guide D’s 2000, 2005 and 2010 editions.

Cooper is founder and principal of the Lift Academy, which provides educational support for apprentices and trainees in the industry. He is a trustee of the Lift & Escalator Industry Charity, which supports families with financial assistance in the event of an industry member being injured at work. He has been a member of 480 Elevator and Escalator Accident Reconstruction and Litigation and the British Standards Institute committee for lifts and escalators (MHE/4) since 1990.

Joseph L. Stabler began his career in the elevator industry in 1975 before graduating from the Basic Institute of Technology in Electronic Engineering Technology in 1977. Thereafter, he cofounded Custom Home Elevators of St. Louis. In 1984, he earned his journeyman mechanics certificate through the International Union of Elevator Constructors. He has also been a QEI since 1991. In 1992, he founded Stabler Associates, Inc., an independent elevator and escalator consulting firm where he serves as president/CEO. He has also been co-owner, assistant vice president, and chief director of operations and technical support at Custom Home Elevators since 2004. He has been directly involved in the design, construction, inspection, modernization, planning, repair, review, service and testing of approximately 6,000 systems. He is a member of ASME and is a longtime member of several A17 code committees.

Gabriel F. Zambrano has practiced law since 1993. A career litigator and trial lawyer based in south Florida, he handles personal- and catastrophic-injury cases daily. A member of the National Trial Lawyers Executive Committee, National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and American Association for Justice, he holds an AV rating by his peers.