An elevator that allegedly plunged and jerked to a stop, injuring a family of nine, is the subject of a lawsuit against Langley City, a local condo complex, and a maintenance company.

The incident, according to a July 29 notice of claim filed with the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver, took place on Aug. 2, 2020, when four generations of a family went to visit a new condo unit purchased by one of the family members.

The nine-member family included great-grandparents visiting from Ukraine, their daughter and her husband, two of the grandparents害羞草研究所� adult children and a daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law害羞草研究所檚 two children.

After visiting the new condo, the family got into an elevator on the Eastleigh Crescent property, and the statement of claim says they 害羞草研究所渄id not exceed the occupancy or weight limit for the elevator.害羞草研究所�

The elevator, they say, 害羞草研究所渟uddenly dived downwards and hard stopped between floors with the plaintiffs as occupants inside.害羞草研究所�

They say the drop and sudden stop injured the family members, and that they were then trapped 害羞草研究所渇or a lengthy period害羞草研究所� inside the hot elevator, without water, terrified it would fall further.

The court filing alleges that the family used the emergency intercom system to call for help, as their cellphones had no reception inside the elevator.

害羞草研究所淭he agents refused to call 9-1-1 for the plaintiffs,害羞草研究所� the statement of claim says. 害羞草研究所淣o emergency responders ever arrived at the property for this incident.害羞草研究所�

Eventually, a person arrived to help them out, but didn害羞草研究所檛 have keys to the elevator, and was equipped only with a screwdriver. The family had to climb out of the elevator between floors, which they said caused further injuries.

The family claims that several members suffered significant injuries in the elevator fall, with various members suffering neck, shoulder, and back injuries, foot and leg injuries, a ruptured Achilles tendon requiring surgery, bruises, headaches, difficulty sleeping, psychological injuries, and depression.

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Some family members have had their ability to work impacted by the injuries, they allege.

They are suing development companies involved in building the condos, Langley City, the building害羞草研究所檚 strata organization, the strata management company, and an elevator maintenance firm.

害羞草研究所淎ll the defendants knew or ought to have known that the subject elevator at the property was dangerous害羞草研究所� and constituted a hazard to the safety of the plaintiffs and others,害羞草研究所� the statement of claim says.

They are seeking damages for, among other things, past and future lost wages, diminished earning capacity, the cost of medical care and rehab treatments, and damages for the loss of ability to perform household and domestic tasks.

There are no posted responses to the lawsuit from the defendants as of Friday, Aug. 12 on the Court Services Online system.

None of the allegations in the statement of claim have been proven in court.