How To Claim Compensation For Injuries Caused By An Accident At An Airport?

By Joanne Jeffries. Last Updated 23rd September 2021. Within this guide, we will take the time to read airport accident claims and provide free legal advice on airport accident compensation when claiming for an accident at an airport. By taking the time to read our guide, you will gain incredible insight into the claims process and how a personal injury solicitor could offer to handle a claim. 

Have you been injured in an accident at the airport that wasn’t your fault? Whether you were a passenger, airport employee, airport contractor, or were visiting the airport for any other reason, you could be entitled to make an airport accident compensation claim for thousands of pounds in compensation. Trust Accident Claims UK provides you with the right personal injury lawyer to represent you in your airport accident claim.

We provide free phone consultations to anybody looking to begin airport accident claims for personal injury compensation. Call Accident Claims UK on 0800 073 8801 to see if you have legitimate reasons to claim compensation. If you are entitled to claim compensation, we can advise how much your accident claim could be worth and assign you a personal injury lawyer to proceed with your claim. Call Accident Claims UK today to see how much you could be owed if you make a no win no fee claim.

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A Guide To Claiming Compensation For An Accident At An Airport

Sign directing customers to airport gates at an airport in France

Like other businesses, airports have a duty of care towards passengers, employees and contractors, and other people using the airport. They are legally obliged to carry out regular risk assessments, identify potential hazards that could cause an accident, and remove or neutralise those hazards.

If you experience an accident within an airport resulting in an injury, which was caused by negligence on behalf of the airport itself or its management, you could make an accident in an airport claim for compensation. If you experienced a serious accident at the airport because of negligence, you would likely be eligible to claim a larger compensation payout. If, sadly, your next of kin or another close relative was killed in a fatal accident, then you could be entitled to claim airport accident compensation on their behalf up to three years after their death.

Some common airport injures include slip, trip and fall accidents, which can happen if there are safety hazards on the floor, such as a spillage that have not been mopped up, food poisoning from airport restaurants, or airport accidents at work such as manual handling injuries. Accident Claims UK has created this guide for people who have been injured at an airport and could potentially make an accident in an airport claim. Contact us today if you wish to pursue any airport accident claims.

What Are Airport Injuries And Accidents?

Airports are busy and often hectic places. Running an airport is very complicated in terms of logistics. If the airport management does not take proper health and safety precautions to identify potential risks and apply control measures, accidents leading to injury can occur. Airport managers have a duty of care towards their customers, staff, contractors and other people visiting the airport, such as drivers picking up passengers at the arrivals gate.

If you have experienced an airport accident that happened because appropriate health and safety measures were not taken, which resulted in you becoming injured, you could be entitled to make an airport accident compensation claim for thousands of pounds. So, please speak to us if you wish to claim after an accident at the airport.

Statistics For Accidents And Injuries At An Airport

According to RIDDOR statistics for 2013/4 from the British Government, for every 100,000 airport employees, there are 94 major employee injuries. 39% of these injuries were related to manual handling accidents, 13% involved being struck by a large object, 5% were moving vehicle injuries, and 5% resulted from falling from a height.

Graph showing the different ways air transport employees get injured at work

Below, you can see how 2019/20 work injuries affect different industries.

Graph showing the rate at which self-reported work both ill health and non-fatal injuries occur by industry

Statistics from the IATA (International Air Transport Association) state that 27,000 people are injured in ramp accidents each year worldwide. This is equal to one in every one thousand aeroplane departures. And that potentially brings about a lot of airport accident claims.

What Are The Most Common Ways To Be Injured At An Airport?

Airports are busy places where complex processes go on, so there are plenty of hazards that can potentially cause injuries. Here are some of the most common ways you can be injured at an airport.

  • Transport accidents: Transport accidents can include ramp accidents and accidents on the ramp, entering or leaving the aircraft. This also refers to transport accidents between different terminal buildings or around the terminal.
  • Food poisoningContracting food poisoning if food or beverages bought at a restaurant is not prepared according to correct standards.
  • Manual handling injuries: Manual handling injuries can affect baggage handlers and other staff members who are required to lift heavy objects if they have not been supplied with the correct training and equipment to do so. Manual handling accidents are a common cause of musculoskeletal injuries.
  • Accidents involving airport vehicles: If staff have not been trained to use their vehicles correctly, this can lead to accidents that can injure staff, passengers and other airport users.
  • Slips and trips Slips trips and falls caused by debris or spillages on the floor.
  • Other falls Slips, trips and falls caused by misplaced luggage.

If you suffer any of these accidents, why not call our team and see if you could claim airport accident compensation.

What To Do if You’re Injured At An Airport

Of course, if you’ve been injured at an airport, the first thing you should do is seek the appropriate medical treatment. The information below is legal advice on how to gather the appropriate evidence to support your airport accident compensation claim.

Taking the following steps after your accident can help you to get the best evidence to support your airport accident claims.

  • Medical Report: At the earliest possible opportunity, you should see a doctor for a medical assessment. As well as prescribing any medical treatment you may need, the doctor will issue a medical report, which your personal injury solicitor will use to value how much your personal injury claim may be worth in airport accident compensation.
  • Take photos: If you can, take several photos of the hazard that caused your airport accident and your injuries. Include a date stamp if you can.
  • Get the contact information of any witnesses: ask for the contact information of people who witnessed the accident, in case they are required to give evidence during your claims process.
  • Keeping proof of any costs: If you have had to pay out any out of pocket travel expenses, medical expenses, expenses for at-home care or mobility-related expenses because of your injuries, make sure you keep your receipts. If you are eligible to claim after an accident at an airport, you may be able to recover these expenses as special damages in an airport accident compensation claim.

Claiming Compensation For Injuries In Airports Outside The UK

If you have been injured in an airport outside the UK, the good news is that you can still claim airport accident compensation for any injuries. However, depending on the country where you were injured, the process may be more complicated. The best thing to do is call Accident Claims UK for a free phone consultation to find out whether the Montreal Convention could affect your claim. One of our friendly advisors will let you know what the process could involve and how much compensation you could claim.

Can I Claim For Food Poisoning At An Eatery At An Airport?

Food poisoning can occur if food is not prepared according to required health and safety standards. For example, you were served food that had not been properly refrigerated or food that was past its use-by date, and you could contract food poisoning that could ruin your trip. Some food poisoning cases are serious enough to put the sufferer in the hospital. If you have suffered a case of food poisoning because of negligence at an airport eatery, you could be entitled to make an airport accident claim for compensation.

Slip, Trip And Fall Accidents At An Airport

Hazards on the floor can be a common cause of slip, trip and fall accidents at an airport. Misplaced luggage, damaged flooring, debris or spills on the floor can all cause slip, trip and fall accidents. If you were injured at the airport due to a slip, trip or fall accident, you could be entitled to make an airport claim for compensation. Please speak to us today about your potential airport accident claims.

Claiming Compensation For Accidents At Work At An Airport

Airports can be potentially dangerous, with lots of heavy equipment and complex machinery. This is why there are strict health and safety regulations are in place. If you are an airport employee or contractor who has been injured due to negligent operations at the airport, you could be entitled to make an airport accident claim. Common examples of negligence that can lead to airport employees experiencing injuries include lack of training for manual handling activities leading to musculoskeletal injuries, employees being given defective equipment or machinery, or not giving employees adequate breaks. Any of these could result in you being hurt and you subsequently claiming airport accident compensation.

Can I Claim Compensation For An Workplace Injury As An Airport Baggage Handler?

Baggage handlers are vulnerable to experiencing accidents at the airport where they work, including serious accidents at the airport. According to health and safety regulations, there are several steps that airports are supposed to take to protect their baggage handlers from injuries.

What precautions should airports take to protect baggage handlers?

  • Providing suitable breakout sessions and drinks
  • Providing training for employees involved in manual handling tasks, ensuring they know
  • how to lift items safely and within their recommended weight.
  • Providing mechanical aids to assist with manual handling tasks
  • Providing personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Providing mechanical handling equipment help employees move heavy luggage
  • Rotating tasks between employees.

If you are a baggage handler who was injured at the airport where you work because your employer failed to take proper precautions to protect you, you could be entitled to make an airport accident claim for thousands of pounds in compensation for an accident at an airport. Call Accident Claims UK today to see if you are entitled to compensation for any airport accident claims.

The Top 20 Airports In The UK

These are the top 20 UK airports. If you have been injured in an airport in an accident that was not your fault, you could be entitled to make an airport accident compensation claim.

  1. London Heathrow
  2. London Gatwick
  3. Manchester Airport
  4. London Stansted
  5. London Luton
  6. Edinburgh
  7. Birmingham International
  8. Glasgow International
  9. Bristol International
  10. Belfast International
  11. Newcastle
  12. Liverpool John Lennon
  13. East Midland
  14. London City
  15. Leeds Bradford
  16. Aberdeen Dyce
  17. George Best Belfast City
  18. Cardiff International
  19. Doncaster – Sheffield
  20. London Southend

The 10 Most Popular Airport Retailers And Cafes/ Restaurants

These are the most popular retail stores and cafes or restaurants in UK airports, in no particular order. If you’ve suffered an injury in any of these stores, cafes or restaurants due to negligence on the part of the premises, you could be entitled to personal injury compensation. Call us today to enquire about hiring a personal injury lawyer to handle your claim today.

  • Boots
  • Burger King
  • Caffe Nero
  • Costa
  • Frankie and Benny’s
  • McDonald’s
  • Starbucks
  • Subway
  • Wetherspoon
  • WH Smith

Airport Worker Fatal Accident At An Airport Case Study

In this case study, we will look at an incident of a fatal accident at the airport where a worker at Heathrow Airport died. In this serious accident, two vehicles collided on the runway. As a result, one man experienced a shoulder crushing injury, which was fortunately not life-threatening. Unfortunately, another man in his 40s went into Cardiac arrest. The man was taken to a hospital in West London and could not be resuscitated and died not long afterwards.

This is a tragic reminder that a serious accident at the airport can be fatal or have lifelong consequences for the victim. Therefore, airports must take every step possible to protect their customers, employees, contractors and visitors.

What Could I Include In My Claim For An Accident At An Airport?

Your airport accident compensation claim will be awarded in two parts, general damages and special damages:

  • General damages: General damages is the compensation you will be awarded for the suffering and pain suffered due to your injuries. This will be the largest part of your compensation payout for your airport accident claims.
  • Special damages: Your special damages compensation will be awarded to compensate you for the expenses you have endured due to your injuries. For example, you can claim a payout to be compensated for your medical expenses, which can include psychological help you have had to seek as well, or physiotherapy, care expenses, travel expenses or expenses for mobility aids. If it is likely that your injuries will affect your quality of life in the future, such as needing ongoing medical treatment, you can also claim funds for future expenses you may need.

How Much Compensation Could You Claim For An Airport Injury Or Accident? – Updated September 2021

Accident Claims UK’s personal injury claims calculator can be used to work out how much compensation you could receive for your accident at an airport. This personal injury claims calculator lists common injuries at an airport and the average amount of compensation our clients usually pay for these injuries.

Edit
Severity of injury and injury type Lower/ upper settlement limits
Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder £56,180 to £94,470
Moderatley Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder £21,730 to £56,180
Less Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder £3,710 to £7,680
Severe Chest Injury £94,470 to £140,870
Minor Chest Injury Up to £3,710
Severe Neck Injuries In the region of £139,210
Moderate Neck Injuries £23,460 to £36,120
Severe Back Injuries £85,470 to £151,070
Minor Back Injuries Up to £2,300
Moderate shoulder injuries £7,410 to £11,980

However, please note that the compensation amounts listed in our personal injury claims calculator example amounts and do not reflect your personal circumstances. If you wish to hear a more accurate estimate of how much your airport accident claim could be worth, contact Accident Claims UK to speak to an informed advisor, who will base their estimate on your individual circumstances.

No Win No Fee Claims For An Accident At An Airport

If you have experienced an accident at the airport that was not your fault, you may wish to consider contacting a No Win No Fee solicitor to handle your claim. A No Win No Fee solicitor would probably offer you a Conditional Fee Arrangement (CFA), which means that you’ll only have to pay your solicitor’s fee on the condition that you win your airport accident claim. Because there is no upfront fee, you will not have to pay unless the claim is won, so there is no gamble with your finances on a No Win No Fee basis. What’s more, you don’t have to worry about securing funds before your claim. Call Accident Claims UK to enquire about hiring a No Win No Fee solicitor today.

How To Start Your Claim For An Accident At An Airport?

If you were injured at the airport where you work or were injured at an airport when you were travelling, you could be entitled to make an airport claim for thousands of pounds in compensation due to an accident that was not your fault. Call Accident Claims UK to take advantage of your free consultation.

If you have a legitimate claim, we will let you know how much money your payout could be worth and find an excellent personal injury solicitor to help you make your claim. Why choose one of our personal injury lawyers to represent your compensation claim? Our personal injury solicitors have up to 30 years of experience. They will always fight to get you the most airport accident compensation possible, and you can make a No Win No Fee claim.

Call Accident Claims UK to claim compensation for injuries caused by accident at an airport. Whether you were injured in the process of embarkation onto an aircraft before air travel, or suffered a head injury at work while handling baggage, we could help. We’re looking forward to working with you on your airport accident claims.

Useful Links

A guide to how much compensation you can claim for a Slip, Trip or Fall injury
Find out how much compensation you could claim for a slip, trip, or fall injury.

Road Traffic Accident Compensation Claims Experts
Have you been injured in an accident on the road on the way to the airport? Find out how to claim compensation in this guide.

Ankle Injury Claims 
Please take a look at our guide to learn more about ankle injury claims.

Elbow Injury Guide 
Why not take a look at our guide about elbow injuries to learn more.

PTSD Claim
Have you had PTSD? Why not take a look at our guide to learn more.

NHS Knee Injury
Suffered a knee injury on the likes of wet flooring? Take a look at the NHS website to learn more.

Airport Accident Claims FAQs

Do I get paid if I get injured at work?

If you happen to be injured at work, you may require time off from work to recover. During this time, your employer is not lawfully obligated to pay you sick pay. However, if your employer’s negligent actions were the cause of the incident, then you could have grounds to make a claim. Within your claim, specialist solicitors could help you claim for any damages or expenses suffered as a result of negligence.

What should I do after an accident at work?

After an accident, one of the best things you can do is seek medical attention and collect evidence to support your case.  For instance, you can take photographs, collect witness statements, and provide financial documentation, such as receipts and bank statements.

Is there a time limit on accident claims?

In short, yes, there is a time limit. To make a successful compensation claim, you must begin your claim within 3-years from the date of the accident.

What are the stages of a personal injury claim?

So, you appoint a solicitor, gather evidence, receive a medical assessment and negotiate a settlement until one is reached. But if need be, the final stage is court action. Please contact us if you’d like help with this.

How do I calculate my personal injury claim?

You should multiple your special damages by two to get a full estimate of your overall pain and suffering. A compensation calculator could help with this.

How long does it take to settle a claim for personal injury?

It generally takes between 3-9 months to reach a settlement for a personal injury claim.

Should I accept the first offer of compensation?

No, because the first offer is very rarely the final offer, and therefore it’s almost always the smallest offer.

Should I file an insurance claim for minor damage?

It’s worth at least considering the value of filing a claim because you’re still hurt, no matter how minor the injuries may be.

Can airport accident compensation claims include compensation for trauma?

If you’re wondering about claiming for psychological or psychiatric injuries that you suffer because of an accident, you might be interested to learn that you could. You would need to prove those injuries however. This would involve an independent medical expert examining you and you’d need to answer their questions. They could then put together a report with a full picture of how you’ve been affected by your accident and/or injuries. This could be used as evidence in your case. It could also be used to determine how much compensation you could receive for your claim.

What type of trauma is there?

Within the Judicial College Guidelines, there are different types of recognisable psychiatric injuries. If you could prove you’ve suffered a psychiatric injury, you could claim for it. Injuries could include general psychiatric damage, PTSD and mental anguish as a result of fearing for the end of your life, or that your life expectancy was going to be cut short.

Could an injury diary help my claim?

An injury diary could be useful when you’re making airport accident compensation claims. If you write down a daily record of how your injuries or illness have stopped you doing things, or how you’ve felt, whether you’ve been in pain, for example, this could be useful in getting a full picture of your suffering. You could also include within your diary the dates you’ve had to stay off work, or when you’ve not been able to undertake an activity you’d planned to do.

Could I make a claim for an accident at an airport involving an allergic reaction?

All food businesses have a responsibility to notify those eating in their restaurants or purchasing pre-packaged foods to be informed as to what allergens are contained in their foods. A restaurant could do so by having an allergy menu, or listing allergens on the main menu. They could even have an online allergy menu that they could direct customers to. There are also requirements for those selling pre-packaged food products to have allergens listed on them. Should a food business be proven to be negligent, and you suffer an allergic reaction in an accident at an airport because of this, you could be eligible for food allergy compensation. The amount of conversation you’d receive would usually be based on how severe the initial reaction was and how it is affected you afterwards. You would need to attend a medical appointment where an independent medical specialist could determine how severe your reaction was and how long it will affect you for. An appointment could be arranged for you as part of your claim. Once this medical report was received by your solicitor, they could hone in on an appropriate value for your personal injury claim.

Could I make an accident at an airport claim for a child?

Unfortunately, sometimes children are injured in an airport accident, and yet they would not have the capacity to claim for themselves. You have two options when it comes to child accident claims. Firstly, you could wait until your child turns 18. However, this may throw up some problems with evidence gathering. Alternatively, you could make a claim for your child’s accident on their behalf. To learn more about how to go about this, please call our team. We would be happy to help you apply to be a litigation friend for your child so that you could make a claim on their behalf.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to read our guide on airport accident claims. We hope you have learned a lot about claiming airport accident compensation after an accident at an airport.