Many people are afraid of flying. What they may not realize is that statistically the most dangerous part of flying, is not the airplane, but it is the airport. Thousands of people are injured in airport accidents every year all across the country. Airport owners and the owners of the shops in an airport have a duty to keep their facilities safe and clean.
If you have been injured because of the negligence of someone else at the airport, you have a right to get paid for your injuries. This includes medical bills, lost work, and your pain and suffering.
Types and Causes of Airport Accidents
Airports, much like stadiums, theaters, and concert venues, are like small towns. There are places to eat, shop, sleep, and even get your shoes shined. Additionally, there are elevators, escalators, heavy bags, and equipment moving all around the airport. All of these different activities can cause serious accidents.
Some examples of the types of airport accidents include:
• Elevator accidents
• Escalator accidents
• Slip and fall on improperly installed or maintained flooring
• Slip and fall on spilled food or beverages
• Malfunctioning jet way while trying to board airplane
• Defective airport equipment
• Seat collapse
• Collision with airport shuttle
• Airport tram accident
• Inured by courtesy transportation inside the airport
Some form of negligence causes most, but not all injuries. If you have been hurt because of the negligence of someone else, you have a right to be compensated. If the carpet or other flooring at the airport is worn or not properly installed and you fall and hurt yourself because of it, this is a form of negligence.
Employers are responsible for the actions of their employees. If an employee is negligent, the employer is responsible for the damages the employee caused. If an employer created an unsafe environment because they failed to properly train employees or ignored safety risks, they can be liable for damages beyond those of just your injury.
Injuries in Airport Accidents
While many times injuries in airport accidents are from slip and falls, that does not mean that the injuries are not serious. Even slip and falls can result in injuries that require surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
Some common injuries in airport accidents include:
• Sprained or strained muscles
• Torn or ripped ligaments, muscles, and tendons
• Broken bones
• Amputated digits
• Lacerations
• Back and neck injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
Sometimes after an accident in a public place like an airport, your impulse is to get up and avoid any further embarrassment. This is especially true if you on your way to catch a flight. However, it is important to get a medical evaluation as soon as possible, even if you do not have any injuries that require emergency care.
Some injuries may not be noticed for several days. If you hit your head, you may have a traumatic brain injury that doesn’t show symptoms for weeks, months, or longer. The sooner you are evaluated, the sooner any injuries can be treated. The sooner you get treated, the better your chances of recovering quickly will be.
If you have to later file an injury claim, having a record of your injuries shortly after the accident can make a big difference in the amount of compensation you will be able to recover.
Foreseeability, the Key to Slip and Fall Cases
Not all accidents are considered the products of negligence. Sometimes bad things just happen. Often the key to deciding if something is considered negligence is the legal concept of foreseeability.
Foreseeability means that the outcome of an action should have been predicted or seen by the person whose actions caused the harm. The classic example is when someone slips and falls on a spill. If a customer spills water in a store and then leaves the store and doesn’t tell anyone, and within a few seconds someone else comes and slips on the water and gets hurt, the store owner is probably not liable for negligence, because it was not foreseeable that someone would slip seconds after the water was spilled. The employees did not have time to act.
However, in the same scenario if the water sits for an hour and employees notice it, but do not clean it up, and someone slips and gets hurt, the store owners will be responsible of the negligence of the employees. The accident is a foreseeable result of not cleaning up a spill.
If you have been injured in an airport accident it may be a challenge to find the right personal injury lawyer to handle your case.
We can help connect you to the best lawyer for your type of case.
No matter if you were injured at an airport near your home or one halfway across the country, we can help you find high quality legal representation.
Contact us today so we can help you have your case reviewed by an experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer.
Act fast because you may be running out of time to protect your rights.
