Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Visually Impaired Man Sues Doughnut Plant After Falling Down Open Elevator Shaft
By
Nell Casey
Published Mar 19, 2013
Modified Mar 19, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
John Del Signore/Gothamist
By
Nell Casey
Published Mar 19, 2013
Modified Mar 19, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Like a scene out of every New Yorker's worst nightmare, a visually impaired visitor from Washington, D.C. is suing the Doughnut Plant outpost in Hotel Chelsea after he fell down a sidewalk elevator shaft, resulting in a pinky amputation. According to DNAinfo, Brian Hurley was just trying to take his friend—who happens to be completely blind—to get a delicious cream-filled pastry when he unexpectedly stumbled into the open shaft, which was devoid of any barriers or caution markers to indicate the hazard. Hurley fell between 8 and 10 feet into the shaft, resulting in the pinky amputation and other injuries that kept him out of work for almost a month.
Jay Danker, Hurley's attorney, argues that Hurley uses his pinky "to hold his walking stick. He uses it to read braille. He uses it more than you or I would." The suit holds the Doughnut Plant and its landlord, The Chetrit Group, responsible for creating a "dangerous, defective, open and traplike condition." "They could have marked it or even had someone standing there, making sure people don't fall in," argues Danker.
But Stephan Donahue, attorney for the Chetrits Group, disagrees. "From our point of view, there was no negligence on the part of the hotel," he says, though he couldn't comment on whether that meant Doughnut Plant would ultimately be liable. With any luck this isn't just one of Nanny Bloomberg's latest don't get fat tactics.
Tagged
brian hurley
doughnut plant
elevator shaft
hotel chelsea
lawsuits
Nell Casey
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .