Have you sustained harm in an accident at an airport after a third party breached the duty of care they owed you? If so, you could be entitled to make a personal injury claim.
Accident in an airport claims guide
There are two key pieces of legislation that could be referred to when making a claim, the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The legislation that applies when you make a claim will depend on where in the airport the accident occurred. Additionally, this will affect who is liable for the accident in which you sustained harm.
Under law, you are owed a duty of care by a third party. We will explore what this means further in our guide.
Furthermore, you may have questions such as:
- Under what circumstances can I claim against an airport?
- How do I claim after an accident in an airport?
- What settlement for an airport accident could I receive?
This guide aims to answer these questions whilst also exploring the various steps you can take to help you build a strong airport accident claim.
In addition, we will explore how No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel could assist you.
For more information, continue reading. Alternatively, you can speak with one of our advisors for free legal advice. To get in touch, you can:
- Call using the number at the top of the page
- Contact us via our website
- Use the live chat feature in the bottom right corner of your screen
Choose A Section
- What Does It Mean If There’s A Duty Of Care Breach?
- Scenarios For How Injuries In An Airport Could Be Sustained
- What Could I Do After An Accident In An Airport?
- Compensation Payouts After An Accident In An Airport
- Can I Use A No Win No Fee Lawyer?
- More Guidance About The Accident In An Airport Claims Process
What Does It Mean If There’s A Duty Of Care Breach?
Under law, you’re owed a duty of care by a relevant third party. They must take reasonable steps to remove or reduce the risk of harm posed by known hazards. If they fail to do so, this means they have breached their duty of care. This could lead to you sustaining harm.
However, not all injuries sustained in airports deem you eligible to make an airport accident claim. For example, the relevant third party might have carried out all reasonable steps to reduce or remove the risk of injury but you were still harmed.
In order to seek compensation, you must be able to prove negligence occurred. Negligence means:
- You were owed a duty of care at the time and place of the accident
- The duty of care was breached
- You sustained harm as a result of the breach.
The compensation you may receive for an accident in an airport will be dependent on the severity of your physical and mental injuries as well as any financial damages incurred. Other factors may also be considered, however, we will explore this further later on in our guide.
Our advisors are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days and offer free legal advice that could help you understand whether you’re eligible to make a claim.
Scenarios For How Injuries In An Airport Could Be Sustained
There are many ways in which an accident in a public place might happen. Below, we have provided some examples specific to airports for the purpose of this guide:
- You might slip on a wet floor that hasn’t been cleared or signposted despite there being a reasonable time to do so. Subsequently, you sustain a back injury.
- You could slip, trip or fall on a trailing cable that has not been covered in the gate lounge. Consequently, you suffer an arm.
- You could be on a faulty escalator that causes you to fall and suffer an ankle injury.
If you have been involved in an accident in an airport similar to this that has led to injuries, please get in touch.
What Could I Do After An Accident In An Airport?
There a various steps you can take to help support your claim for injuries sustained in an accident in an airport.
For example, gathering as much evidence as possible is important in proving that you were owed a duty of care, it was breached, and you were injured as a result. Evidence you can collect includes:
- CCTV footage – Acquire CCTV footage of the incident and/or the scene
- Photographs – Take pictures of your injuries and/or the scene
- Witness statements – Gather witness contact details for a witness statement to be taken at a later date
However, your first priority should always be to seek medical attention. This allows you to be treated for your injuries but also generates medical records that can also be used as evidence.
Lastly, you should get legal advice. One of our advisors can offer free legal advice on the evidence you can gather to support your claim.
Compensation Payouts After An Accident In An Airport
If your case is successful, the compensation you are awarded may consist of two heads of claim. These are called general and special damages.
Firstly, general damages look to compensate you for any physical or psychological pain and suffering caused by your injuries.
We have included a table using figures from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), a document that legal professionals use to assist them when valuing the general damages portion of settlements.
Regardless of these amounts being taken from previous court settlements, they should only be used as guidance. This is because each different personal injury claim is unique, and your settlement for injuries sustained in an accident in an airport may differ.
| Injury | Guideline Compensation Bracket | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Head | £282,010 to £403,990 | (a) Very severe: The person will need full-time care. |
| Neck | In the region of £148,330 | (a) Severe (i) A neck injury resulting in spastic quadriparesis that's permanent. |
| Leg | £104,830 to £137,470 | (a) Amputations (iv) The leg is amputated above the knee. |
| Leg | £17,960 to £27,760 | (c) Less serious (i) Major soft tissue injuries or fractures that do not make a full recovery. |
| Back | £91,090 to £160,980 | (a) Severe (i) Involves damage to the spinal cord and nerve roots causing serious consequences not ordinarily found in regular back injuries. |
| Hand | £55,820 to £84,570 | (b) Both hands are seriously damaged. |
| Wrist | £47,620 to £59,860 | (a) When a complete loss of functionality in the wrist is sustained. |
| Elbow | £39,170 to £54,830 | (a) A disabling injury that is severe in nature. |
| Arm | £19,200 to £39,170 | (c) Less severe: There is a significant disability but a major recovery has occurred or will occur. |
| Ankle | £13,740 to £26,590 | (c) Moderate: Injuries such as fractures and tears to ligaments. |
Special damages account for any financial losses sustained as a result of your injuries.
For instance, you might fall from a height and suffer two serious leg injuries. Subsequently, you may be unable to work. Your loss of pay may be reimbursed under special damages. This head of claim may also cover:
- Travel costs
- Medical expenses
- Care costs
- The cost of home adaptations
For a more detailed estimate of how much compensation you could be owed, do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our advisors.
Can I Use A No Win No Fee Lawyer?
A No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel may offer their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
A CFA means that you do not have to pay for the services your personal injury solicitor provides if your claim fails.
However, if your claim is a success, you will have to pay a success fee. This is legally capped and will be deducted from your compensation.
Call Us To Make An Accident In An Airport Claim
For more information on how a solicitor from our panel could help you seek compensation for injuries sustained in an accident in an airport, get in touch with our advisors. You can:
- Call using the number at the top of the page
- Contact us via our website
- Use the live chat feature in the bottom right corner of your screen
More Guidance About The Accident In An Airport Claims Process
Below, we have included some external resources that you may find helpful:
- When to visit the urgent treatment centre – NHS
- Compensation after an accident or injury – GOV
- Compensation recovery unit – GOV
Moreover, we have provided you with some of our own guides relative to accidents in public places:
- Time limits in personal injury claims
- What cases fall under personal injury law?
- How to make a claim after an accident in a shop
- Public Liability Claims
- Can I Get Compensation After An Accident In A Supermarket?
- Claim Compensation For An Accident In A Public Place
- Personal Injury Claims Against The Local Council
- Accident In A Shop – How To Make A Claim
Thank you for reading our guide on what to do if you have been involved in an accident in an airport. If you have any other questions, get in touch on the number above.
Writer Beck Patch
Editor Meg McConnell