In 2013, a young New Jersey girl’s leg became trapped in a Macy’s escalator while on a shopping trip with her family. Nearly three years later, the family, the retailer, and the company tasked with maintaining the escalator are ready to put the ordeal behind them, agreeing to a $15 million settlement.
Macy’s agreed this week to pay $15 million to the family this week to settle a lawsuit that claimed Macy’s and escalator company ThyssenKrupp Elevator America Inc. were negligent in the August 2013 incident that occurred at the Garden State Plaza Mall in New Jersey, NorthJersey.com reports.
The retailer and ThyssenKrupp agreed to the financial terms of the settlement, but did not admit liability in the case, which is currently sealed as it includes a minor.
While Macy’s owns the escalator, ThyssenKrupp is responsible for the inspection, maintenance and repair of the escalators at the Garden State Plaza Mall store.
“I think the settlement can be judged by its size as to whether Macy’s felt culpable in its conduct,” the attorney tells NorthJersey.com.
A spokesperson for Macy’s said she could not comment on the settlement.
The girl, who was 10 at the time of the incident, was riding the escalator during a shopping trip when her right foot became trapped.
By the time a passerby was able to stop the escalator with the emergency stop switch, the girl’s leg was trapped about halfway between her right ankle and knee.
According to the lawsuit, “copious amounts of [the victim’s] blood and tissue were distributed over at least 11 steps as the escalator continued grinding up against [the victim’s] trapped foot and leg.”
The girl was hospitalized for three months and doctors were unable to save her pinky and second toes.
In all, NorthJersey.com reports the girl has undergone a series of 22 surgeries in an effort to save her foot and leg.
“She received skin and muscle grafts from other parts of her body, and endured lung and kidney failure,” the family’s attorney said, noting that she now walks with a “slight limp.”
Family of Bergenfield girl injured in Garden State Plaza escalator accident to get $15M [NorthJersey.com]
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist
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