RSSRepairman Dies in Tragic Elevator Accident in Miami Apartment Building
Anything that seems dangerous or prone to malfunction is commonly referred to as a “death trap.” This is exactly the term apartment dwellers at the Ocean King Apartments in Northern Miami used to describe the rickety elevator in their building. Residents reported that the elevator would often stop on the wrong floor, get stuck in between floors, or that the buttons would not work. Many of them refused to take the elevator altogether and opted for the stairs. Unfortunately for the family of repair man Danilo Perez, 46, the elevator lived up to its reputation, taking Perez’s life in a tragic accident on January 5th.
Investigators say Perez was working on the elevator when, for unknown reasons, he somehow became crushed in between the cart and the elevator shaft wall. According to police, he was found dead on the third floor of the building around 8:30pm by another maintenance worker. This maintenance worker was looking for him at the request of his family members, who had called after they became worried when Perez didn’t come home from work.
"He was on top of the elevator and somehow something happened and he was trapped in the elevator," police spokeswoman AnnMarie Cardona said. Perez had no known medical condition and police are waiting for an autopsy report to determine the cause of death. His death is being treated as an accident for now, officials said.
When a rare or unexpected tragedy steals the life of a loved one, all the grieving family members want are answers. How did this happen? Why did this happen? What do we do next?
At the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A., we use work alongside expert investigators to get those answers, and we understand that while no amount of monetary compensation can make up for the loss of your loved one, these tragedies oftentimes lead to other unexpected hardships. In a marriage, for example, the loss of a spouse’s income can result in the loss of the marital home as the surviving husband or wife might not be able to afford mortgage payments.
Other all-too-common post-accident situations relate to hospital, clinic, and medication fees. In addition, funeral expenses can be astronomical. It is not uncommon for a funeral with burial in the state of Florida to cost approximately $10,000.00 or more. And these are only a handful of examples of unanticipated expenses that survivors of the unexpectedly lost might encounter. For these reasons, depending of state-specific laws, loved ones might seek compensation for the following damages in a fatal tragedy:
- Funeral expenses
- Loss of companionship
- Hospital, ambulance, and other medical expenses
- Loss of care, nurturing, or guidance
- Pain and suffering or mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of expected salary
- Interest
- Loss of health insurance or retirement benefits
- Treble damages
- Attorney fees
It’s important to know that if you are ever involved in a situation where someone you know is injured or killed in an accident, that you should seek legal counsel from an experienced accident and wrongful death attorney to recover the compensation you deserve. James O. Cunningham has been representing the family members of deceased victims related to wrongful death claims of all kinds, and can help bring forth the justice and the compensation you seek during devastating hardship. Contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587) to learn about your legal rights.
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.