A Guide To London Heathrow Airport Accident Claims – I Was Injured At London Heathrow Airport, Could I Claim Compensation?

By Joanne Jeffries. Last Updated 22nd September 2021. Welcome to this guide covering Heathrow airport accident claims.

People gathered at Heathrow Airport waiting for their planeHave you been injured or become ill because of an accident or incident at London Heathrow Airport that was not your fault? If you are injured or harmed due to a breach in the duty of care that is owed to you as a member of the public when using a service then if liability is proven you may be able to make a claim for compensation.

Accident Claims UK is here to handle your Heathrow accident compensation claim. Our solicitors have up to three decades of experience helping claimants win the compensation they are owed and will always push to ensure you receive maximum payment for your injuries.

Whether you were injured because of a slip, trip or fall accident, Heathrow transit system accident, airport shuttle bus accident or a bus crash, a Heathrow pod accident or any other type of Heathrow international airport accident, if a third party who is responsible for your health and safety caused the accident to happen or did not prevent it when they could have we could help. To begin your London Heathrow airport accident claim, you could call us now on 0800 073 8801 or use our online claims form to reach us. One of our well informed legal advisors will be happy to speak to you in-depth about your accident and if you have the right to claim, we could match you with a no win no fee personal injury solicitor to carry out your London Heathrow (LHR) airport accident claim.

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A Guide To Claims For Accidents At London Heathrow Airport

The busiest airport in the United Kingdom is London Heathrow Airport. In 2017, over 78 million passengers flew to or from Heathrow Airport, averaging 213,668 passengers a day.

While you are in transit at London Heathrow Airport the airport and any third party operators within the airport has a duty of care towards you. This means that if you are injured because of negligence, for example, you slip on a recently mopped floor in a departures lounge due to no warning signage, and you break your ankle, you may have the basis for a personal injury claim. Similarly, if you are avoidably injured by a business operating at Heathrow Airport, for example in a store or restaurant then the business could be held liable for resulting injuries or illnesses that could have been prevented.

In this guide to making a London Heathrow Airport accident compensation claim, we will explain how accidents could potentially happen at an airport and we will advise you on how to claim compensation. We have also included a personal injury claims calculator to estimate how much compensation you could claim and will explain the benefits of using a no win no fee solicitor to represent your Heathrow airport accident claims.

Remember, if you have been injured in an accident that was caused by negligence on the part of an airport, or another party, we could provide you with an experienced personal injury lawyer to handle your claim. Call Accident Claims UK today to see if you are entitled to compensation and to begin your claim.

What Is Accident At Heathrow International Airport?

An airport accident regardless of which airport is any type of unwanted occurrence that happens at an airport or its surrounding premises, which results in a passenger, airport visitor or a member of airport staff becoming injured or ill as a result. Not all accidents that happen in an airport will lead to a person being able to claim compensation for their injuries, however for this guide we are specifically concentrating on accidents that could have been prevented. Accidents at airports could include baggage handling accidents, pedestrians being injured by falling luggage, slip, trip and fall accidents, accidents on lifts and escalators, accidents in shops operating at the airport and incidents of food poisoning, to name a few.

If you have been injured because of a Heathrow International Airport accident which was caused by third-party negligence you could be owed compensation for your injuries. There is a personal injury claims time limit in the United Kingdom of three years, which means you have three years from the time that you were injured, or the time that your injuries were diagnosed, to begin your claim. There are sometimes exceptions to this rule though. Call Accident Claims UK today, to have us start working on your claim as soon as possible.

Health And Safety In The Aviation Industry

How many air transport workers are injured each year in the United Kingdom because of accidents in the workplace? RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) statistics for 2009/ 10 – 2013/4 which at the time of writing are the most recent statistics available, explain that there were 594 major injuries over the 5 year period.

Below are statistics detailing injuries to employees in air transport, by injury kind:

  • 39% were lifting and handling injuries.
  • 24% were slip, trip or fall injuries.
  • 13% were caused by a worker being struck by an object.
  • 6%  were caused by a worker being struck against.
  • 5% were caused by a worker falling from a height.
  • 5% of injuries were caused by a worker being hit by a moving vehicle.

You can see below the HSE’s 2019/20 statistics about industries affected by work-related injury and illness.

Self-reported work related non-fatal injuries and ill health by type of industry

When Could You Claim For An Accident At An Airport?

If you have been injured or made ill because of negligence at London Heathrow Airport, or a business operating from within LHR, you could potentially be entitled to claim compensation.

Businesses have a duty of care towards their customers, staff and other people that use their premises, so they are responsible for providing them with a safe and hygienic environment in which to travel. They could be held liable if they cause a customer or employee to become injured or ill because of their negligence.

We will now look at some examples of possible accidents that may result in an airport incident that could be prevented if proper health and safety measures are adhered to. This is not an exhaustive list, so if you have suffered an accident at Heathrow Airport that is not mentioned below, please contact our team and through a free legal consultation it can be discussed if you have merits for a compensation claim.

Trip Or Fall Accidents At An Airport

Unfortunately slip, trip or fall accidents caused by third-party negligence could potentially happen at an airport. Slip, trip and fall accidents can be caused by hazardous floorings, such as a loose carpet or a cracked floor tile, a leaking toilet or spilt substance which can cause the floor to become slippery when wet, or a broken handrail which falls away when a passenger puts their weight on it. All these causes of slip and falls could be prevented through good regular maintenance and the implementation of health and safety procedures. Injuries from slip, trip or fall accidents could include soft tissue injuries, a back injury, broken bones or fractured bones.

Baggage Reclaim And Baggage Carousel Accidents

Airports that use baggage transport vehicles and baggage carousels have to be mindful of good working machinery that is not going to cause a hazard and also airports must ensure that staff are trained well to prevent accidents from happening. Those who operate baggage moving vehicles such as electrical buggies must be trained how to use them accordingly as driving through a busy airport full of passengers can be quite difficult. Also baggage handlers loading baggage carousels must ensure they load them correctly as if they are loaded negligently luggage could fall off injuring passengers.

Airport Escalator And Lift Accidents

Unfortunately, accidents could happen on escalators and lifts if they are not properly maintained. For example, if there is not an emergency stop button on an escalator and a passenger gets a piece of clothing stick in the mechanism, this could result in a serious limb crushing injury. Lift accidents can include a lift falling following a malfunction. This can result in the passengers being knocked off their feet and becoming injured as a result. Lifts could also cause injury if the lift doesn’t stop in line with the floor it has landed on. This presents a trip and fall hazard.

Airport Transit System Accidents

As well as having a duty of care to staff and customers when they are inside the airport terminal buildings, London Heathrow Airport and businesses operating within it, are also responsible for the health and safety of passengers and staff when using the airport grounds or facilities. Many large and busy airports use different transit systems within the building or its surrounding area for example passengers may need a shuttle bus from the terminal to the aeroplane, or from a connecting flight, employees may use vehicles to transport baggage from the terminal to the aeroplane and vice verse, electrical buggies are used within the terminal, also airports may have their own transport system to get passengers to and from airport hotels or buses and train from the city centre to airport. Not all airport transport vehicles will be owned and operated by the airport, therefore an accident suffered on them through third-party negligence may not always be the responsibility of the airport. Regardless of this if you are injured in an accident that could have been avoided you may have grounds for compensation.

If you have been avoidably injured because of a Heathrow transit system accident such as a Heathrow pod accident, airport shuttle bus accident, or an airport transit crash such as a bus accident that was not your fault, call Accident Claims UK today, to see who the liable party may be.

Heathrow Airport Retail And Restaurant Accident Claims

There are a large number of onsite shops and restaurants that operate in the Heathrow terminal building. If you are injured or made ill because of negligence on the part of a shop, or restaurant at London Heathrow Airport, your claim could be made against that business rather than the airport itself. Examples of accidents in shops could possibly include slip, trip or fall accidents, displays falling on customers or staff, staff being injured due to manual handling accidents or customers purchasing food and becoming ill with food poisoning due to the lapse in health and safety.

Instances of accidents in restaurants could include customers becoming ill with food poisoning, customers being burned by hot food or beverages, workers being injured in the kitchen, or slip, trip and fall accidents. Not all accidents will be the responsibility of a third party some are just that ”accidents” where there was no way to prevent them meaning that a compensation claim would not be valid. If the accident could have been prevented which caused avoidable injuries then liability would lay with the responsible party.

If you have been injured or ill because of a shop or restaurant’s negligence at London Heathrow Airport, call Accident Claims UK today.

Calculating Accident Compensation Claims – Updated September 2021

You can use our personal injury claims calculator (which is based on Judicial College Guidelines) to roughly estimate how much compensation you could be entitled to claim in general damages (calculator excludes special damages). Of course, this is just a rough guide but if you call us we can give you a personalised quotation of how much compensation you could receive in general damages and special damages.

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Injury Severity Amount Comment on Severity
Brain Damage Less Severe £14,380 to £40,410 Injuries will have made a good recovery but may still have persisting symptoms such as impaired concentration ability, memory loss, and mood swings which may affect personal life and ability to work in the future.
Minor Brain or Head Injury Minor £2,070 to £11,980 There will be little to no brain damage associated with these head injuries, and the bracket may change according to how long symptoms persist for, if there are any headaches present, and on the severity or the original injury.
Neck Injury Severe (i) In the region of £139,210 This bracket covers injuries that include incomplete paraplegia, or permanent spastic quadriparesis. Injuries here may also result in a person not seeing any improvement in neck mobility despite wearing a collar for a number of years and who also suffers persistent severe headaches.
Neck Injury Minor (i) £4,080 to £7,410 This bracket mainly covers soft tissue injuries, but can vary greatly according to persistence of symptoms, the type of treatment needed, and over all effect on a person’s life. In general, injuries in this bracket will be expected to heal in one to two years.
Back Injury Severe (iii) £36,390 to £65,440 This bracket covers fracture to vertebrae and discs, as well as other soft tissue injuries that lead to chronic conditions. These injuries will commonly result in persisting symptoms of pain, discomfort depression, loss of sexual function, impairment to mobility as well as posing a risk to future employability.
Back Injury Minor (i) £7,410 to £11,730 Again, covering soft tissue injuries, this bracket can also change according to severity, treatment needed, how long symptoms take to pass, as well as affect it has on other parts of the body. Injuries in this bracket are usually expected to recover without surgery in two to five years.
Hip and Pelvis Injury Severe (i) £73,580 to £122,860 Injuries in this bracket will include extensive fractures which affect the lower back that may require spinal fusion, as well as damage to organs near the hips and pelvis such as the bladder and bowels. This could lead to impairment of these organs, as well as affect women by presenting issue when they are in labour.
Hip and Pelvis Injury Moderate (ii) £11,820 to £24,950 This bracket commonly covers injuries that require a hip replacement and can include cases where a hip replacement may be possible in the future because of the injury, and there will usually be persisting symptoms.
Leg Injury Severe (i) £90,320 to £127,530 This includes injuries that are so severe, it leaves a person no better off than if the leg had been amputated entirely. This can include degloving injuries, or fractures that have required extensive bone grafts to treat.
Leg Injury Less Serious (i) £16,860 to £26,050 This includes fractures and serious soft tissue injuries that do not perfectly heal. They may result in symptoms that persist such as a permanent limp, trouble walking, as well as cosmetic deformity and nerve damage.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Moderately Severe £21,730 to £56,180 Recovery with special help. However the effects may go on to have a bearing on all aspects of life and cause significant disability.
Food Poisoning Serious but short-lived food poisoning (ii) £8,950 to £18,020 For two to fours weeks or so diarrhoea and vomitting. Remaining discomfort and disturbance of bowel function and impact on sex life and enjoyment of food over a few years.

Contact Accident Claims UK today, to see if you are entitled to claim compensation.

What Special Damages Could I Claim If Injured In An Accident?

If you make a successful claim for compensation your compensation package could be comprised of two parts, general damages and special damages. Let’s look at what this means, in more detail.

General Damages

General damages are awarded to compensate the claimant for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity they experience as a result of their injuries. Normally, general damages are the largest part of the compensation package.

Special Damages

Special damages are awarded to reimburse the claimant for any expenses they have incurred relating to their injuries or illness. Below are some examples of the special damages you may be able to claim;

  • Medical expenses to pay for medication, consultations, operations, physiotherapy or any other type of medical treatment you might have needed as a result of your accident that you could not get on the NHS.
  • Travel expenses to pay for any travel relating to your accident. This can include reimbursement for the cost of travelling to and from hospital appointments, hospital parking or paying for alternative transport if your injuries meant that you were no longer able to drive.
  • Reimbursement for the cost of adapting your home or your car, in the case that your injuries resulted in you becoming disabled.
  • Mobility equipment expenses, if your injuries resulted in mobility issues.
  • Cost of care when you have had to employ someone to carry out daily tasks that you can no longer do yourself.
  • Reimbursement for loss of income, if you took an extended amount of time off work after your accident to recover from your injuries you can be reimbursed for any salary payments or in-work benefits you missed out on.

No Win No Fee Claims For An Accident At London Heathrow Airport

At Accident Claims UK, we operate on a no win no fee basis. This means that you won’t have to pay an upfront solicitors fee when you make your compensation claim, making no win no fee more affordable for many of our clients. Instead, your solicitor will only charge you your fee if and when you win your accident claim. That’s right, in the unlikely instance that you do not win your claim, you will not have to pay your solicitor’s fee.

Call Accident Claims UK today, to see if you are entitled to make a no win no fee accident claim for compensation. If you have the right to claim, we could connect you with a personal injury solicitor to carry out your claim.

Why Choose Us To Conduct Your Airport Injury Claim?

If you have suffered an airport injury due to an accident at LHR that was not your fault, Accident Claims UK is on hand to handle your claim. Why choose us? Our panel of accomplished personal injury solicitors has up to thirty years of experience handling accident claims of all types. Our solicitors will always push to win you the maximum amount of compensation that you could be owed.

Start Your Claim For An Accident At An Airport

Call Accident Claims UK today and if you have the right to claim, one of our excellent personal injury solicitors will start working on your claim right away.

To begin your London Heathrow Airport accident claim, you could call us now on 0800 073 8801 or use our online claims form to reach us.

Could I make Heathrow airport accident claims for an allergic reaction?

There are lots of places to eat in Heathrow airport, and those with allergies may take great care to avoid consuming an allergen within their meal or pre-packaged food item. They could check the ingredients list, or ask staff to see the allergy menu. However, what happens if the information that they are given is incorrect and they unknowingly consume an allergen? In such cases, if you could prove negligence on behalf of a food business or restaurant, for example, you could make Heathrow airport accident claims for your allergic reaction. Whether your allergic reaction was minor, causing uncomfortable not non-serious symptoms or you suffered anaphylaxis because of consuming an allergen you didn’t know was contained within your food, we could help. Our specialist solicitors, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority could assist you with a claim for compensation. We could fight for the maximum compensation possible for the reaction that could have been avoided had a business not been negligent.

Could I make Heathrow airport accident claims on behalf of children?

If a child has been injured at Heathrow airport, apparent all responsible party could help to make a claim on the child’s behalf. The child’s compensation would usually be held in a trust at the end of the claim. They could gain access this once they turned 18. If you are wondering how to go about making such a claim, we could help. We could give you all of your options, which could include waiting until your child turned 18 to claim for themselves, and give you all the insight you need to come to an appropriate decision for your child’s case. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us, so that we could offer you a free assessment of your child’s case

Essential References

A Guide To How Much Compensation You Can Claim For A Slip, Trip Or Fall Claim – How to make a slip, trip or fall injury claim.

Pub Or Bar Accident Claims Guide – Are You Eligible To Make A Compensation Claim – How to claim for an injury in a pub or bar, such as those operating in an airport.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) – This is the body responsible for safe air travel in the UK.

Health And Safety In The Air Transport Industry – A HSE guide to safety in the air transport industry.

We hope this guide to Heathrow airport accident claims has been useful.