Airports are bustling places with thousands of people in the vicinity at any one point. From escalators to accidents in the airport food court, the central Florida airport in Orlando is a busy place where, unfortunately, accidents do happen. Regardless of where or how your accident occurred in the Orlando international airport, if you suffered injuries or other damages you may be entitled to filing a personal injury claim to seek compensation.
In this article, we will explore whether you need an Orlando personal injury lawyer to file a claim, common types of accidents and injuries that occur in airports, who is liable for airport accidents, and the types of damages you may be able to recover when suing the airport insurance company or other responsible party.
Do You Need A Lawyer When Filing A Personal Injury Claim With The Orlando Airport?
While hiring a personal injury or accident lawyer is not a requirement when filing a claim against or suing the Orlando airport for an accident case, working with an experienced Orlando attorney can significantly increase your chances of a successful outcome.
There are a number of elements that go into an airport lawsuit, regardless of whether you’re suing the airport or several different parties. One element includes performing an investigation to collect all relevant facts and complete an analysis of these facts.
Additionally, many airports such as the Orlando airport are owned by the public, meaning they are technically government property. For example, the Orlando International Airport is owned by the Sanford Airport Authority. Many government entities are protected against claims and lawsuits due to sovereign immunity. While there are exceptions, filing a claim or suing the government can be much more complicated and challenging that suing an individual or private entity.
Luckily, Florida has waived its right to sovereign immunity in relation to personal injury cases. This means that while it is slightly easier when taking a claim to court against the airport, there are still certain hoops to jump through.
These potential complications include:
- Individuals cannot file a claim against or sue an airport authority employee unless the worker intentionally caused the accident.
- Claimants must prove that a Florida court would otherwise fiend a private party responsible for the same accident scenario
- Florida caps the lawsuit damages at $200,000, unless more than one party is in the lawsuit, in which case the cap is $300,000
- Claimants rarely receive punitive damages in personal injury cases against government entities such as the one that owns the Orlando International Airport
Types Of Orlando Airport Accidents And Injuries
There are a number of different ways that person can get injured in the Orlando accidents. A few scenarios in which airport injuries may occur include:
- Slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents on boarding ramps, walkways, moving sidewalks, escalators, wet floor areas, and jetways
- Accidents in the parking lot or curbside during drop-offs or pick-ups
- Accidents that occur on airport transportation such as trams, trains, and shuttles
- Disables or elderly individuals who are not properly assisted when traveling or moving about the airport
- Equipment accidents
- Accidents in the airport food court or airport restaurants
- Aviation accidents or plane crashes
- Accidents that occur in retail stores located in the airport
- Accidents that occur in the baggage claim area of the airport
Examples of injuries that may occur as a result of accidents in the Orlando area airport include:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Cuts and lacerations
- Broken bones
- Bruises
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Sprains and strains
- Wrongful death
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Who Is Liable For Accidents In The Orlando Airport?
While in most personal injury cases determining who is responsible for the accident is more cut and dry such as in car accidents, establishing liability in an airport accident is more difficult. Airports in large cities like those in the state of Florida often have countless contracts and connections with entities within the airport that could be held liable for an accident. For example, a security company or a transportation company may have been in the accident and could also be held accountable for the injury as well as the airport as a whole.
A knowledgable and experienced airport accident attorney can help you determine who or what entity you should file a claim against after reviewing your case. Potential individuals or entities that may liable in a personal injury case include:
- The controlling municipality or government entity that owns the airport
- An airport contractor working on the property at the time of the accident
- A manager or owner of a business entity in the airport
- A specific airline
Damages You Can Recover For Orlando Airport Injuries
When you file a claim against the Orlando airport or an individual or entity within the airport, you may be eligible to receive compensation in the form of non-economic and economic damages. These damages may include:
- Medical expenses directly related to the accident, including medical bills from emergency and ambulance services, surgery, hospital stays, and medication
- Aftercare medical expenses once released from the hospital
- Future medical bills when injuries require ongoing treatment or disability
- Damages for pain and suffering
- Lost current and future wages due to the injury
- Damages to account for long-term loss of income if an injury renders you unable to return to work
- Loss of consortium
- Wrongful death damages
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How Florin|Roebig Can Help With Your Orlando Airport Personal Injury Claim
The law firm of Florin|Roebig has extensive experience working with personal injury cases such as those that occurred as a result of an airport injury. And, because we are based out of Florida, we have the knowledge required to understand and prosecute claims effectively within the state.
If you or a family member choose to hire a personal injury or aviation accident attorney, put your trust in the dedicated lawyers at Florin|Roebig. Give us a call today for a confidential and free consultation at (800) 226-6581 to see how we can help you reclaim your life after an accident at the Orlando airport.
