A toddler suffered a traumatic amputation of his finger Tuesday afternoon in an escalator accident at the Los Angeles Superior Court, Van Nuys Courthouse West. Witnesses told firefighters responding to a 911 call that the victim, a 17-month-old boy had been riding an escalator down from the second floor to the first floor when his left index finger was traumatically amputated in the "comb and groove" of the tread near the bottom exit ramp. Bystanders and on-duty sheriff's deputies activated the emergency stop and the child was not entangled or trapped, although it soon became apparent that his inch-long index finger was missing.
Paramedics placed the child and his mother in an ambulance as their colleagues began searching for the finger. The escalator was quickly disassembled with power tools and the Escalator Maintenance Supervisor was brought in. After about 90 minutes of intense searching, the boy's finger was found. Paramedics placed the finger in a sterile dressing in a plastic bag and sprinted to a waiting Los Angeles Fire Department vehicle.
Surgeons were standing by at the Richie Pediatric Trauma Center at Northridge Hospital and reattached the finger, although it is not certain the surgery was a success.
Escalators move at about 90 feet per minute and do not stop when a toe or finger is entrapped. The CBS Early Show reported than an estimated 10,000 people visit emergency rooms each year because of injuries suffered in escalator accidents. Children, especially toddlers, are particularly susceptible to injuries in escalator accidents like this one.
The cause of this accident likely may not be clear without a intense, thorough inspection of the escalator by an expert. The workings of an escalator are complex, and most passengers will be unable to determine if an escalator is working properly. If the escalator was negligently designed, maintained, or repaired, the parents of the young child may be able to recover compensation for their child's injuries and related medical expenses in a personal injury claim. After an accident such as this one, it would be advisable for the victim's parents to consult an experienced California personal injury lawyer with special expertise in California escalator accidents and traumatic amputation injuries.
Sources: LAIst, LAFD Newsblog, 10 News, NBC Los Angeles
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