With the dense foot traffic at an airport, it is easy to get injured if you are not careful. More often than not, injuries that occur at an airport do not result from the victim’s negligence. Slip and fall accidents commonly occur at busy airports and can lead to serious physical injury. According to an estimate, more than 30,000 of these accidents occur annually on airport ramps alone.
If you been seriously injured as a result of a slip and fall at an airport, it is natural to wonder who was responsible for your injuries. You might also question whether or not you have grounds for a lawsuit and financial compensation. While the process of determining liability in airport slip and fall accidents is complicated, an experienced lawyer can help you determine liability and pursue compensation for your damages.
Causes of Slip and Fall Injuries at an Airport
Airports are busy public spaces that can be host to numerous hazardous conditions that might cause serious physical injury. Slippery or broken floors, liquid spills, poor lighting, tripping hazards, defective equipment, transport accidents, etc., are some of the most common causes of slip and fall injuries at an airport.
As a result of airport slip and fall accidents, victims commonly sustain serious physical injuries, including bone fractures, concussions, bruises/cuts, sprains, joint dislocations, spinal cord injuries, etc. While minor physical injuries might be treated with emergency medical attention, other injuries like bone fractures or TBIs (Traumatic Brain Injury) carry a significant risk of temporary or permanent incapacitation.
Determining Liability
One or more parties might be responsible for the circumstances that lead to your slip and fall accident, including the airline and airport authorities, mall/kiosk owners, trolley drivers, etc. The accident does not have to occur strictly within the confines of the airport building for the airport to be held liable for the accident.
Accidents that occur within the boundaries of an airport, whether within or outside the building, are governed by the premises liability law. According to this law, the airport owes its visitors a duty of care. Any harmful conditions at the airport that lead to a breach of this duty of care and result in slip and fall accidents can cause the airport to be held liable for the accident.
To prove liability on part of the airline, it is essential to prove that the dangerous conditions that led to the accident resulted from the negligence of the airport owner/staff. You will also need to prove that the owner/staff knew or should have known about said conditions and did not take appropriate actions to reduce the danger of slip and fall accidents.
Comparative Negligence
If your negligence contributed to the slip and fall accident, it might reduce the amount you receive as compensation through the lawsuit. The comparative negligence rule applies to all accidents that occur within the premises of an airport. Even if you share part of the responsibility for the accident, it is not impossible to obtain financial compensation for your damages resulting from the slip and fall at the airport. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you accurately assess the damages after the application of the comparative negligence rule.
Consulting a Lawyer
After a slip and fall injury at an airport, it is essential to consult an experienced personal injury lawyer. An experienced attorney will help you obtain the best possible compensation for your damages and guide you through the complicated process of determining liability in case of an airport slip and fall accident.
