Airport Dangers
There is nothing more exciting - and stressful - than that first day of travel. The family grabs their bags and piles into the Uber to get to the airport, which in itself is a harrowing journey. (Feel free to check our blog posts for our rideshare injuries section).
Once you (hopefully) arrive to the airport safely and unload far too many bags for the length of trip you booked, it is nothing but a chaotic and disorganized frenzy to get through security and find your gate.
Nothing about airport travel process is pleasant, and can be overly-stimulating for many people. And god- forbid you get singled out by the TSA for a strip- search...
It is usually during this initial travel haze, while rushing to your gate that someone in your group slips on the unmarked wet spot in the aisle, trips over the maintenance company’s supplies long abandoned, or gets run down by one of those trolleys that under- utilize the horn and over-utilize the accelerator. Worse yet, the injury happens, while boarding the plane and the decision becomes “do I miss my flight to get necessary treatment” or “I can power through this 4 hour flight and hope I’m OK when I land.” Not exactly the choice I would want to have to make at the start of my trip.
We at Adeszko, Abate & Green specialize in helping those injured at airports, and there are a few tips you should know before you go. First and foremost, Airlines have special Contracts of Carriage with their travelers that may allow recovery for your injuries even if not yet on the plane. So always insist on an incident report, as that triggers certain obligations, including following up on your condition within 48 hours, saving any video evidence, and taking statements from airline employees about what happened. This is crucial information in proving your case.
Additionally, the airports themselves have countless contractors, which are contractually liable for injuries due to their employees’ negligence. So even if you were injured in the middle of the airport far from your gate or plane, there is still a chance at recovery. It is extremely important to document both the cause of the injuries and the injuries themselves. Take photos of the area of your injury, including anything that may have caused you to slip or trip. Take photos of any visible injuries such as bruising or bleeding.
Finally, in addition to an incident report, make sure you have the name and company for any person that either caused your injuries (like the trolley) or assisted you after your injuries. Given the number of contractors working at any given airport, without details from the day of the injuries, it is very easy to miss a potentially liable party.
Of course, none of the above is what anyone wants to think about on their way for a much deserved vacation to some faraway paradise, but knowing this information before you go is crucial to protecting you and your family in the event of the worst case scenario at the airport.
Hopefully this does not apply to you this Holiday season, but if you or a loved one has been injured while traveling, please contact us for a free consultation.