Stuck in elevator for 2 hours Pregnant woman to sue SWRHA

Natalie Drayton, of Mahappy Drive, Darson Trace, Siparia, say she is concerned for the safety of her feotus after she was stuck in the elevator with insufficient oxygen for two hours.

According to Drayton’s attorney’s Cheryl Ann Peters and Anand Ramlogan, SC, the incident occurred on July 5.

Drayton had gone to the hospital to visit her mother who suffered a stroke.

She said after entering the elevator, it came to a sudden stop between the first and ground floor and although she kept pressing the open button nothing happened.

The letter sent to the SWRHA chief executive Neil Gosine said Drayton became frantic and called her fianc? to let him know what had happened. She was advised to press the emergency button so that the alarm would sound off and the door would open. She said she did so but nothing happened.

The letter said she was extremely scared and started screaming and banging on the elevator door. After some time, a security guard heard her and told her not to worry.

“My client was crying hysterically because she was terrified and did not know what to do.

She was also extremely afraid for the safety of her baby... She told the security guard they needed it get help soon because she was pregnant and it was difficult to breathe,” the letter said.

The letter added that Drayton’s uncle who was at the hospital tried to use a stick to open the door but was prevented from doing so by the police officers who were called in, as he was destroying property.

The letter said the police left without rendering assistance.

Eventually, an engi neer at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital came to assist but he could not as he did not’t have the key to the elevator. Attempts were also made to contact the supervisor, but he was not answering his phone.

Eventually they were able to reach another engineer who advised them what to do to get the door open. It was eventually opened some two hours after she became stuck.

When she came out, Drayton was hyperventilating and was shaking out of fright.

“This incident is highly unacceptable; there are hundreds of visitors to the hospital on a daily basis.

However, of greater importance is the fact that this is a hospital and patients as well as much needed medical equipment are transported within these elevators.

The fact is that an individual could have been stuck in there for close to two hours is preposterous,” the letter noted.

The lawyer’s letter also stressed that an elevator in a hospital that not properly maintained has the potential to be extremely dangerous.

“Proper maintenance should be carried out to ensure that there are no malfunctions of this mature and that the elevator systems are in a safe condition, especially in such a facility where there are daily emergency situations, “the letter said.

“My client is currently pregnant and is deeply concerned about the effects of this occurrence in her unborn baby especially in light of the fact that she was not receiving adequate oxygen for a period of close to two hours and was under extreme stress,” Peters wrote.

Drayton is seeking damages for pain and suffering as well as future medical care and has given the SWRHA 28 days in which to respond to her pre-action letter.