On March 10, 2015, Scott Douglas Williamson was visiting the Veterans Affairs Hospital and used the elevator to take him to the third floor of Building 6, according to a complaint originally filed in Wayne Circuit Court and later removed to federal court.
Williamson claims that the first elevator ride went without incident, however, that afternoon, went he went back to the elevator to descend back to the first floor, as he was walking into the elevator, the doors closed suddenly and impacted his head and body.
The event caused Williamson to collapse and fall forward into the elevator cab, which caused him to suffer head and bodily injury and pain and suffering, according to the suit.
Williamson claims the sensors and other mechanisms are designed to ensure that the elevator doors are to repel backward and not to close against a pedestrian.
Murphy failed to provide proper maintenance to the elevator, according to the suit.
Williamson claims the defendants violated the Elevator Safety Act and were negligent.
The defendant also failed to post warnings or take any steps to protect the pedestrians from becoming hurt by the elevator, according to the suit.
Williamson is seeking compensatory damages. He is being represented by Neil Bouchillon of Bouchillon, Crossan & Colburn.
Murphy is represented by Chanin W. Krivonyak and Linnsey M. Amores of The Law Offices of Chanin W. Krivonyak.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case number: 3:17-cv-02385