Can you file a lawsuit if you slip and fall and sustain serious injuries at an airport or on a plane?
If you are going to be traveling by airplane, you probably want to know what your rights are ahead of time. Agents working for an airline and/or airport have the duty and obligation to keep you safe during all stages of travel while you are at the airport or during your flight.
In the event that during your rush catch your flight you slip and seriously injury yourself, you may now find yourself wondering if you have the legal rights to file a claim against the airport and/or airline to compensate you for your injuries.
The following guide will give you all of the information on who is responsible if you experience a slip and fall accident at the airport or on an airplane and help answer many of the questions you have about whether you can seek compensation after your accident.
Airline and Airport Responsibilities
While you might be quick to blame yourself after a slip and fall, there are several factors that could come into play that could help to determine whether the airline (or even the airport) was more responsible for your slip and fall than you.
Both the airlines and the agents working the airport gates should be responsible for keeping passengers safe from the moment you board at the gates to the moment that you all leave the plane.
It is the airline staff’s duty to provide a safe environment and do everything in their power to ensure that you do not slip and fall anywhere on the plane or encounter anything that may cause you injury during your flight – such as a falling object from an overhead bin, object or luggage partially blocking the aisle creating a potential tripping hazard.
As mentioned above, on an airplane there are always potential hazards that, if not dealt with properly by staff, could cause injury to those that are traveling on the aircraft. One of the most common areas of hazard is found during the boarding and deboarding of the airplane. Sometimes there are large steps you have to go up and down if you have to walk outside to the gate.
If the weather is not the greatest, these staircases may become slick. If the airline, as well as the airport, has not taken the proper steps to make these areas safe for the passengers, they could be liable for any injuries that occur as a result.
Another area that you might not have thought of when it comes to airline liability is in the turbulence that sometimes occurs. While the weather cannot be controlled, airlines are trained to know how to deal with inclement weather and how to instruct passengers to remain safe during times of inclement weather. If your flight crew was not diligent in informing you of turbulence due to weather during the flight and you were injured as a result, then you might have a very strong case against the airline itself.
What To Do
The complexities of liability and personal injury law when it comes to airlines are quite difficult to navigate. If you have been injured on an airplane and you believe it to be the result of negligence on the part of airline staff, then you should get in touch with an experienced personal injury attorney that has a reputation for taking on tough cases such as airline-related cases.
If you have been injured as a result of negligence by an airline, you might absolutely have a case for regaining medical bills and lost wages that were a result of your injury. If you find that to be your situation, then you should get in touch with a trusted personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
Saurabh Sharma is a Digital Marketer and content writer, with of more than 8 years experience in Digital marketing. He is founder of www.guestpostcrew.com. He has a Master in Computer Application (MCA) honors from RTU, Kota. His work is present on the web and still working for the well-being of society. In his free time, he loves to watch cricket, football, and internet surfing.