Florida In-Flight & Airport Accident Injury and Wrongful Death Attorney

Airplane and Airport Accidents, Injuries, and Deaths

In-flight airplane accidents often result in death or very serious injuries. Consequently, these types of cases usually involve large financial settlements or verdicts. But on the same note, these cases can be challenging when it comes to establishing fault and proving liability. If you or a loved one has been involved in an airplane accident, it is extremely important to get legal help right away from a personal injury lawyer equipped to handle these types of cases involving aviation law.

For good reason, the U.S. airline industry is one of the most regulated businesses on the American corporate landscape. Even the slightest mistakes and mechanical breakdowns can lead to large-scale disasters and numerous deaths.

While we don’t regularly hear about these large-scale accidents in the news, everyday injuries on flights and in airports happen quite frequently, like slips, trips, and falls, falling luggage, and even turbulence. In most cases, airline passengers can recover financial compensation for injuries sustained during an airline flight, especially if the airline, manufacturer, or any other liable party is proven to have been negligent.

All Airports in Florida

• Carrabelle-Thompson Airport
• Daytona Beach International Airport
• Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport
• Florida Keys Marathon Airport
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
• Gainesville Regional Airport
• Jacksonville International Airport
• Key West International Airport
• Massey Ranch Airpark
• Melbourne International Airport
• Miami International Airport
• Naples Municipal Airport
• Northeast Florida Regional Airport
• Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport
• Northwest Florida Regional Airport
• Orlando International Airport
• Orlando Sanford International Airport
• Palm Beach International Airport
• Pensacola Regional Airport
• Punta Gorda Airport
• Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport
• Southwest Florida Airport
• St. George Island Airport
• St Lucie County International Airport
• St Petersburg-Clearwater Airport
• Tallahassee Regional Airport
• Tallahassee Commercial Airport
• Tampa International Airport
• Wakulla County Airport

Commercial Airports in Florida

• Charlotte County Airport
• Gainesville Regional Airport
• Tallahassee Regional Airport
• Daytona Beach International Airport
• Southwest Florida International Airport

Public Airports in Florida

• Tavares Seaplane Base
• South Lakeland Airport
• Orlando Apopka Airport
• Fort Walton Beach Airport
• Jack Browns Seaplane Base
• General Airports in Florida
• Hilliard Airpark
• Bob Sikes Airport
• Pompano Beach Airpark
• Bartow Municipal Airport
• Zephyrhills Municipal Airport

General Airports in Florida

• Hilliard Airpark
• Bob Sikes Airport
• Pompano Beach Airpark
• Bartow Municipal Airport
• Zephyrhills Municipal Airport

Government/ Military Airports in Florida

• Hurlburt Field
• NOLF Santa Rosa
• Patrick Air Force Base
• MacDill Air Force Base
• MacDill AFB Auxiliary Field

Airlines Flying in and out of Florida

• Delta
• jetBlue
• Silver Airways
• American Airlines
• Alaska Airlines
• Sun Country Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• Spirit Airlines
• ViaAir
• United
• Frontier Airlines
• Copa
• Volaris
• Aer Lingus
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Bahamasair
• Cayman Airways
• Interjet
• Aeromexico
• Thomas Cook Airlines
• LATAM Airlines Group
• Caribbean Airlines
• Norwegian Air UK
• British Airways
• Virgin Atlantic

Airplane Accident Statistics

Each year, more than 2 billion passengers fly on commercial airlines. With billions of people travelling by air each year, accidents are bound to happen. An accident related to flying can be caused by almost anything, from carry-on luggage falling out of an overhead compartment to severe turbulence landing passengers in the hospital for spinal trauma, a concussion, or another kind of personal injury.

Here are some important statistics regarding airplane accidents:

• Almost 80% of all plane crashes happen in the first 3 minutes after takeoff and the last 8 minutes of the plane’s descent.
• A passenger on a flight has a 1 in 29.4 million chance of being killed while on that flight.
• Pilot error is the leading cause of all deadly airplane accidents and is the cause of 54% of fatal accidents.
• According to estimates, 4,500 airline passengers and crew members around the world are injured every year when items fall from overhead storage bins. This amounts to 12 injuries per day.
• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates that roughly 58 people sustain inflight injuries due to turbulence every year.
• Approximately 58 people in the United States are injured every year by turbulence while not wearing their seat belts.

Our Florida Airline and Airport Accident Injury and Death Attorneys at Whittel & Melton have handled aviation accident cases that involved a number of different causes including:

• Altimeter failure
• Engine failure
• Pilot error
• Air traffic control error
• Airline failing to properly train personnel
• Airline failing to enact policies to protect passengers

As we mentioned before, many airline and airport accidents involve more everyday mishaps that result in common airplane injuries, such as:

• Items falling onto passengers from overhead storage
• Beverage carts injuring passengers in aisle seats
• Hot liquids spilling onto passengers
• Passengers falling while walking to and from the lavatory
• Airline staff failing to appropriately react during a passenger’s medical emergency
• Injuries that happen during boarding or deplaning
• A defective restroom door flies open and hits a passenger in the head
• A defective loading ramp causes a passenger to slip and fall

Falling Luggage Harming Passengers

Our Florida Aviation Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton know that airline passenger injuries are far more common than most would guess. If you were harmed by another person’s negligence or carelessness at an airport or during a flight, you may be able to recover monetary compensation for damages.

Most U.S. airlines charge passengers a fee to check their baggage, so nowadays we see far more travelers than ever trying to wedge carry-on luggage into tight overhead spaces. The fallout can be especially hazardous for those parked in an aisle seat, where concussions and lacerations from falling baggage are most common.

Flight Turbulence Injuries to Passengers

While many people every year suffer from turbulence-related injuries following a fight, it is important to note that airlines are not usually held accountable for unforeseen, unpredictable acts of nature. However, if the airline crew was aware of the possibility of turbulence, then any injury victims may be able to recover compensation if passengers were not warned beforehand.

In conclusion, if the pilot was aware of potential turbulence and failed to warn passengers to fasten their seatbelts, the airline can indeed be held legally responsible if passengers are injured.

Airport Injuries

Airports can pose risks to visitors and guests at numerous places, including:

• Baggage claim
• On jetways, stairs, and ramps used during boarding and deplaning
• On trams, people movers, escalators, and other airport transportation systems
• Airport construction and remodeling projects
• Courtesy vehicles used for passengers in pedestrian areas of terminals
• Wet bathroom areas
• Improperly maintained gate areas
• Tarmac-related obstacles
• Curbside accidents

Your Trusted Aviation Accident Attorneys Whittel & Melton

Our Florida In-Flight & Airport Accident Injury and Wrongful Death Lawyers at Whittel & Melton are skilled negotiators and litigators ready to take on your personal injury and wrongful death claims erupting from airplane and airport incidents. Many aviation injury cases are settled before they see the inside of a courtroom, but some must go to trial to receive a verdict. Regardless of whether we go to trial or settle out of court, our number one priority for all of our clients is to ensure that they receive full and fair compensation for their injuries or losses.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an airport accident or while on-board a flight, contact us immediately for a free consultation. We take all personal injury and wrongful death cases on a contingency basis, meaning we are paid only when we win your case.