Air travel can be tedious and stressful. There are crowds and lines that wear on our patience. Amongst the rush and worry, it is not uncommon for accidents occur while passengers, employees, and aircrews move throughout Florida’s busy airports.
The common accidents are a trip on loose carpet near the gate, a slip on spilled water in the terminal, or fall at the counter in a café. As with other private property, it is possible that the property owner is liable for serious injuries that result from these unfortunate accidents.
In Florida it is necessary to show the following factual elements to recover compensation for medical bills or other costs and losses from an accident. First, that the slip and fall directly caused the serious injuries; and, second, that the owner of the property knew the dangerous condition existed prior to the accident.
Every personal injury plaintiff who was injured by slip, trip, or fall in an airport is required to prove these elements. However, what is precarious and complicated about airports is the property is commonly owned, operated, and managed by different parties and entities.
Typically, there is a single private party that owns the entire airport. In turn, this entity will lease or overturn operations of certain areas to different parties.
For instance, in a Florida airport there are bars, restaurants, and shops that lease space through private contracts, governmental agencies that manage security spaces, and management companies that undertake responsibility for terminal and gate areas. Not to mention check-in desks and gates that are managed by airline employees. The results is that from the time you enter the terminal, until you board your flight, there are various vendors, owners, and operators that are responsible for the property around you.
Each of these parties had a duty to keep its space free of dangerous conditions. Typically, the liability will fall to the party operating the space. For instance, a shop will agree to take liability for any slip and falls within the lease or sublease with the airport owner. An attorney will be in the best position to obtain and review the relevant documents and agreements.
In addition to the complication with who is responsible for the dangerous condition, the person who slipped or fell is often not a Florida resident, and could even be an international visitor.
It can be confusing to know where to contact an attorney and where is the proper place to bring a lawsuit. As the incident occurred in Florida, it is best to seek initial advice from a personal injury attorney in the state.
Slip and fall Accidents at Airports
If you have incurred serious injury from a slip and fall accident at an airport, or other public place, contact our Miami Personal Injury law firm. Our experienced slip and fall injury lawyers in Miami can provide a confidential conference and evaluation of your claim.
