A reality about traveling via commercial airliner is that these types of aircrafts do not often crash. In other words, catastrophic commercial aircraft accidents, while headline makers, are rare. With that noted, thousands of travelers are injured every year in onboard aircraft accidents. Among the most common underlying causes of an accident on an airliner is turbulence.
As more and more people are turning to traveling in the post-pandemic world, the number of passengers on commercial airplanes is increasing rapidly and dramatically. Consequently, the number of people injured in aircraft accidents is also on the upswing, including men, women, and children hurt as the result of a turbulence-related event.
Negligence, Personal Injury, and Air Turbulence Injury Claims
An important point needs to be made about when an airliner might not be considered responsible for a passenger injury associated with a turbulence event. The prime situation of this nature is one in which a passenger is not properly seat belted when that individual has been advised to do so. In a similar vein, if a passenger is moving about in the cabin when directed to be seated. If a passenger is injured in one of these two types of situations, making a claim for injuries when turbulence occurs will be more challenging.
With these exceptions noted, provided a passenger is following the “basic rules” associated with commercial air travel, such an individual ends up injured because of turbulence during a commercial airline flight, that passenger is apt to be able to pursue a claim for compensation. A passenger enhances his or her options of prevailing in an air turbulence injury claim by retaining the services of an experienced aircraft accident attorney, like someone from the legal team at The Doan Law Firm.
Commercial Airliners and a Heightened Duty of Care
When it comes to accidents and personal injuries in the United States, the law establishes a specific standard regarding what constitutes negligence in most situations. In the U.S.A., a person or other entity must exercise reasonable care in the conduct of activities. If the duty of reasonable care is breached in some way, the party that fails to exercise reasonable care potentially can be held responsible for injuries, damages, and losses arising out of the negligence of that individual or entity.
Airliners are not subject to the more broadly used reasonable standard of care. Airlines are classified as “common carriers.” As a consequence, an airline has what legally is known as a heightened duty of care.
Airlines must act with what is classified as a high degree of care in regard to the safety of passengers. Airlines must exercise the vigilance of a “very cautious” person to protect the safety and wellbeing of their passengers from potential harm.
Airlines owe this heightened duty of care to their passengers in a number of circumstances. These include:
- When passengers board an aircraft
- When passengers are onboard an aircraft
- When passengers disembark an aircraft
Examples Airliner Negligence for Turbulence Injuries
A variety of different types of accidents and injuries are more commonplace when the underlying cause is turbulence during flight. These include:
- Luggage falling from overhead bins striking passengers
- Passengers permitted to be free from their seatbelts and thrown about
- Passengers permitted to move about cabin and thrown about
- Passengers injured by objects flying around cabin
- Passengers being tossed about
Protect Your Legal Rights Following an Airplane Turbulence Injury
The first step in protecting your legal rights following sustaining an airplane turbulence injury is to schedule an initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer from The Doan Law Firm. You can connect with The Doan Law Firm any time of the day or night by calling us at (800) 349-0000.
We can schedule an initial consultation with a skilled, experienced aircraft accident lawyer at your convenience. A nationwide law practice, The Doan Law Firm has 40 offices located from coast to coast across the United States. We can schedule an initial consultation and case evaluation with an aircraft accident lawyer at any one of our offices. In addition, we can arrange a virtual aircraft accident lawyer case evaluation with you online as well. There is never a charge for an initial consultation and case evaluation.
The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee guarantee to you. We will never charge an attorney fee unless we win your case for you.