Otis Elevator Co. sued after elevator falls

A woman is suing over claims she sustained injuries after a hotel elevator free fell 14 floors.

Juana Herrera filed a lawsuit Oct. 18 in the Circuit Court of Cook County against Otis Elevator Co., citing negligence and strict product liability.

The plaintiff alleges on Aug. 1, 2012, she sustained serious injuries while in the elevator at the Marriott Hotel at 540 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago. According to the complaint, the elevator fell from the 24th floor to the 10th floor and abruptly stopped.

Herrera contends the defendant failed to warn of the elevator's condition, negligently designed the elevator, failed to maintain the elevator and failed to include a mechanism to prevent the elevator from falling.

The plaintiff is seeking damages in excess of $50,000. She is being represented by Chicago attorney Mark A. Bazzanella of the Law Offices of Mark A. Bazzanella.

Circuit Court of Cook County Case No. 2013L011552.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.