American Crescent Elevator Manufacturing Corp.; Otis Elevator Company; Coastal Elevator Service Corp.; Andre Leeflang; John Doe Inc.; and John Doe were also named as defendants in the suit.
LeAnn Snead and Rebecca Bridges were employed by the Beckley VA Medical Center and were riding in the elevator in October 2015, when the elevator malfunctioned, causing them severe harm and injury, according to two complaints filed Aug. 25 and removed to federal court on Jan. 12. Amended complaints were filed on Dec. 14.
The plaintiffs claim the elevator had been recently installed and inspected by Otis Elevator Company in a newly constructed building.
The defendants were responsible for the installation, repair and maintenance of the elevator, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim the defendants negligently installed the elevator or negligently failed to properly inspect or maintain the elevator that injured them and that the defendants’ negligence was the proximate cause of the plaintiffs’ injuries and damages.
The defendants also breached their express and/or implied warranties and their actions constituted reckless conduct, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by Paul M. Stroebel of Stroebel & Johnson.
Seawolf is represented by P. Joseph Craycraft and Katherine Dean of Swartz Campbell.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case number: 2:17-cv-00557, 2:17-cv-00558
