Airports in Virginia are extremely large facilities, and travelers must often walk more than a mile to get to their terminal. Unfortunately, passengers face numerous dangers of slip and fall accidents when navigating airports. If you were injured in a fall, you need to understand how the airport’s negligence could have caused your slip and fall accident and the steps you must take to protect your right to compensation for your injuries.
Common Causes of Airport Slip and Fall Accidents
Airport owners have a duty to maintain the airport and surrounding areas in a safe condition and to warn guests of hazards they cannot correct immediately. However, bridges from the parking lot to the terminal, escalators, baggage carousels, terminal areas, bathrooms, and baggage claim areas can pose a trip, slip, or fall hazard when they are not maintained properly. Common reasons for airport slip and fall accidents include:
- Slippery floors
- Wet floors
- Poorly maintained carpeting and flooring
- Inadequate lighting
- Cracked pavements
- Debris in the terminal or on tarmac walkways
- Lack of handrails or broken steps
- Uneven flooring or airport ramps
- Poorly maintained escalators, elevators, or moving walkways
- Icy sidewalks and roads
Five Steps to Take to Protect Your Rights
If you suffered injuries in an airport slip and fall accident, you might be entitled to damages for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. However, you must take immediate steps to protect your rights and collect the evidence you need to win your case. Here are five crucial first steps you should take:
- Collect contact information. Obtain the airport's contact information so you can file a claim. You should also get this information for any witnesses who saw your fall.
- Get medical care. You should be examined by a doctor within 72 hours of your accident, even if you do not believe you were hurt, to protect your health and avoid disputes with the insurance company about the cause of your injuries.
- File an incident report. You need to file an incident report to put the airport on notice of your slip and fall accident and your claim. If they do not give you a copy of it, take a picture of it with your cellphone camera.
- Take pictures. Take pictures of where you fell, any nearby hazards, and your injuries. If you are too hurt to do this, ask someone to take the photos for you.
- Retain an attorney. If you were hurt at a Virginia airport, you should retain a skilled premises liability attorney in Virginia to file your claim and negotiate your settlement with the insurance company.
Were you injured in a slip and fall accident at an airport or other Norfolk or Virginia Beach location? Call our Norfolk office at 757.625.1214 or complete our online form to schedule your free initial consultation with our experienced premises liability attorneys to learn how we can assist you.
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