SLIP & FALLS AT ILLINOIS AIRPORTS

The airport is a busy, bustling place. Thousands of people fill the airport terminals, pathways, concession areas, and gates at all times of the day. 

Illinois’s airports are among the busiest in the world. Over 54 million passengers traveled through O’Hare International Airport in 2021. Chicago’s second-largest airport, Midway, serviced 21 million passengers the same year. 

Both airports employ thousands of workers to assist the enormous number of passengers that pass through each day. Employees help passengers check in for their flights, oversee baggage handling, provide food and beverage services, and keep the airport areas clean.

With so much regular activity, it’s no surprise that airports are prime locations for accidents. Some of the most common types of accidents that occur at O’Hare and Midway include:

• Automobile accidents in the parking lots and drop-off/pickup areas
• Slips and falls in terminals, restaurants, check-in areas, and along pathways
• Worker injuries from lifting heavy baggage or other items
• Noise exposure from loud aircraft
• Physical injuries from fights between passengers or workers

Almost any type of accident can occur in an airport, no matter how careful you are.

With so many opportunities for accidents at the airport, a wide array of injuries are possible. Here are a few of the most common:

Repetitive Use 

Baggage handlers must lift heavy bags throughout their work day. Whether transferring bags from one plane to another, moving them from the aircraft to the baggage collection area, or maneuvering them from check-in to the terminals, the job often requires a great deal of physical exertion. 

Since most airlines have baggage weight limits of 50 pounds, handlers continuously place strain on their arms, backs, and shoulders daily. It’s not unusual for a baggage handler to have their back suddenly give out while lifting a bag or develop shoulder injuries from regularly carrying suitcases from place to place. 

Repetitive use injuries aren’t limited to baggage handlers. People working in the check-in area regularly use computers to check in passengers. Frequent, prolonged typing may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, where the wrist muscles tighten and can’t relax.

Noise Exposure

Hearing damage is another common injury found among airport workers. People who work outside the airport, including maintenance technicians and aircraft fuelers, are consistently exposed to loud noise from airplane engines. 

While all employees who work outside with airplanes must wear hearing protection, sometimes it isn’t enough to protect against hearing damage.

It’s not unusual for long-time airport workers to require hearing aids or other assistance. Constant exposure to noise damages the eardrums. Once hearing damage occurs, it's often irreparable and can only be improved using specific devices.

Broken Bones/Contusions

Slips and falls are common in airports. Since many people are rushing to get from one place to another, it can be easy to overlook spills and obstacles that could potentially result in a fall.

While some slip and fall injuries are minor, others can result in serious damage. Broken bones, muscle sprains, and contusions are all associated with slips and falls.

Other accidents may also cause broken bones or contusions. Car wrecks, encounters with heavy machinery and equipment, and similar accidents may result in broken bones.

Traumatic Brain Injuries 

Traumatic brain injuries can have devastating consequences. These injuries typically arise when the head makes sudden contact with a hard object. An unexpected fall can result in a traumatic brain injury, as can a car accident in the airport parking lots.

Arguments and fights are also common in airports, unfortunately. Visiting the airport can be stressful as passengers seek to make their flights on time. Passengers held up by long check-in lines, security stops, or busy restaurants sometimes become frustrated and short-tempered. 

Those who can’t maintain their patience may lash out verbally at others. If these arguments worsen, they can easily escalate to physical altercations. In the worst case, people involved in fights may suffer head injuries, contusions, or broken bones. 

Liability for accidents occurring at airports varies. If the accident is due to a slip and fall, and employees didn’t properly attend to the cause of the slip, the airport itself may be held responsible. 

Car accidents resulting in injuries are usually the fault of the parties involved in the accident, just like other accidents that occur on Illinois’s roadways.

Worker injuries caused by repetitive use, noise exposure, or other factors may be the employer's responsibility, whether the employer is the airport itself, airlines, or contracting companies. 

An experienced personal injury attorney at Morgan and Morgan can help determine who is at fault for your injury.

The types of damages an individual can recover after an accident will vary depending on the extent of the injuries. Typical types of monetary compensation include:

Economic Damages

Economic damages are expenses you directly incurred as a result of the accident. Typical monetary damages encompass the following:

• Past and future medical costs, such as physician visits, laboratory tests, occupational therapy, surgery, physical therapy, and medications
• Lost wages from being unable to work
• Future wages if your injury results in long-term disability
• Lost earning capacity, if you’re unable to work for the foreseeable future
• Fees for household services you’re unable to handle yourself due to injury

A lawyer can help you assess the costs of economic damages and determine the amount you may recover through a personal injury claim.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages aren’t as easy to assess. You likely won’t have bills pointing to the amount of non-economic damages you’ve sustained due to your injuries. But the impact of a physical injury can have lasting consequences that impact other areas of your life, including mental health and quality of life.

Common non-economic damages include the following:

• Disability or disfigurement
• Emotional pain and suffering
• Reduction of quality of life

Non-economic damages can vary greatly depending on the severity of the injuries. 

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are less common than economic and non-economic damages. A judge or jury must award punitive damages in a claim; they will not be included in an out-of-court settlement. However, it is possible to receive punitive damages if you’ve sustained injuries due to someone else’s negligence.

Sometimes, it’s unclear who is responsible for your injuries. After all, many factors can result in an accident, and you may be unsure who is at fault. With that being said, if your injuries were unforeseeable and not self-inflicted, you may have a personal injury case.

Whatever the circumstances surrounding your injuries, a personal injury attorney can help you determine the cause of your accident and plan your next steps. You shouldn’t be left holding the bag financially, especially if you weren’t at fault for the accident and you’re facing excess medical bills and lost time from work.

At Morgan & Morgan, we have a team of highly skilled lawyers familiar with all aspects of personal injury law.

We are the nation’s largest personal injury law firm and have helped thousands of people recover compensation in personal injury legal claims. If you’re looking for skilled airport accident lawyers in Illinois, Morgan & Morgan has you covered.

The statute of limitations for personal injury cases in Illinois is two years. Personal injury victims, therefore, have up to two years to file a claim from the date of an accident.

However, since it takes time to develop a case strategy and assemble the necessary documentation to file a claim, it’s best to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. That way, you can ensure we have an appropriate amount of time to work on your case.

Most personal injury lawsuits resolve through settlement — only 4% of personal injury claims go to trial. Both parties can usually agree to the terms of a settlement without needing to go to court.

If the defendant is unwilling to come to a fair agreement, the lawyers at Morgan and Morgan will take your case to court and demand the compensation due to you.

Many people avoid seeking legal assistance because they believe it will cost them too much money, but foregoing legal help is often a mistake. Personal injury attorneys understand the law and know how to get you the compensation you need to move forward.

At Morgan & Morgan, our consultations are always free, and we don’t charge any fees for our services upfront. Instead, we deduct our costs from any settlement or court verdict sums we win on your behalf.

Each personal injury case is different. Some are resolved quickly through settlement, while others require months of negotiation to finalize. As part of your consultation, we can provide you with an estimate of how long it will take to wrap up your claim.

Morgan & Morgan is eager to offer advice and help you build your airport accident personal injury claim. Our veteran team consists of over 1,000 lawyers who work on a variety of personal injury cases every day. Schedule a free, confidential case review today and see the difference that experience can make.