Court Denies Negligence in Ohio State Elevator Death

The wife of a man crushed to death by an elevator in a closed hotel near Ohio State University’s campus won’t receive state compensation after Ohio’s Court of Claims denied her negligence claim.

Authorities said 52-year-old James Higgins of London was pinned by a moving elevator in the elevator shaft in April 2009. Nadia Higgins originally sued her husband’s employer, Oracle Elevator Co., and Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment claiming negligence. The state was later named as a third defendant.

The university said Higgins and another worker were working on the elevators in preparation for the hotel’s conversion to a dormitory.

The court ruling last week found no evidence that Higgins was required or directed to enter the elevator pit.

Nadia Higgins’ attorney didn’t immediately return a call Monday.