Los Angeles International Airport, known simply as LAX, is an international airport located 18 miles from Downtown Los Angeles. The airport is known by people from all over the world, and is commonly featured in films and movies, due to its proximity to Hollywood and many affluent communities throughout Los Angeles County. However, Los Angeles International Airport is no different than any other transportation hub when it comes to accidents, like slip and falls and trip and falls.
If you or a loved one sustained injuries from a fall-related accident at Los Angeles International Airport, please take a moment to contact us and speak to a lawyer experienced in slip and fall accidents at LAX. Monetary compensation may be available to you if you fell and got injured at Los Angeles International Airport. However, it can be difficult to succeed in a LAX trip and fall lawsuit when you are going up against a major entity, like Los Angeles World Airports (owner and operator of LAX). Our experienced and dedicated legal experts can bring you justice from a personal injury lawsuit against Los Angeles International Airport, so please give us a call to learn about your rights and legal options.
Who is Responsible if You Fall and Injure Yourself at Los Angeles International Airport?
The responsibility for an accident at Los Angeles International Airport generally falls on the owners and/or operators, i.e., the property owners. This assumption is based on the law of premises liability, which requires property owners to take all reasonable measures for the purpose of keeping others safe. When it comes to LAX, the airport is operated by Los Angeles World Airports, formerly known as the Los Angeles Department of Airports. This agency is a proprietary department of the government of Los Angeles, so liability for an accident would fall on the city.
However, you will need to prove that an act of negligence by the airport was directly responsible for the injuries you’ve suffered. As an example, escalators are a common source of fall-related injuries at Los Angeles International Airport. As a result, it’s essential for airport staff to inspect and maintain the escalators and ensure that they are free of hazardous conditions. If they fail in their duty of care and someone fell off the escalators due to a slippery substance, the city is responsible for the victim’s physical and emotional injuries.
The truth is, airports are highly susceptible to hazards that can cause someone to fall down. Dangerous conditions that are commonly associated with slip and fall and trip and fall injuries include:
- Slippery floors
- Water on the ground or floor
- Broken hand rails
- Loose wires and cords
- Missing or broken tiles / sidewalks
- Edges of rugs and carpets that are sticking up
- Worn patches on rugs and carpets
- Poor lighting that can obstruct your view
- Broken steps / stairs
- Debris left on the floor
- Spilled food and drinks
- No Wet Floor signs
- Leaking pipes, toilets, and sinks
- Water around public fountains
- Failure to remove ice and snow
- Defective or missing anti-slip mats
- Sticky floors from improper cleaning methods
- Tools and equipment that are not put away
If negligence by airport operators or employees caused you harm and suffering, please don’t wait to seek legal advice from an experienced attorney. A Los Angeles International Airport slip and fall lawyer is available to assist you, so contact us to schedule a free case review.
Other Parties That May Have Caused Your Accident
LAX has the heaviest passenger traffic of any airport in the United States, with over 80 million guests pausing through its terminals on a yearly basis. That translates to over 230,000 people each and every day, who are susceptible to a variety of injuries. There’s no denying that falls are the most common source of injury, but these accidents are not always caused by the airport.
Here are some examples of other entities that may be responsible for an LAX slip and fall or trip and fall accident case:
- An airline (public and private chartered)
- Product manufacturer (if a defective product caused your accident)
- Private contractors / maintenance crews
- Businesses operating inside the airport – cafes, restaurants, bars, duty-free shop
- Shuttle / charter bus company
- LA Metro Bus (owned by Los Angeles County)
- Rideshare and taxi services – Uber and Lyft, for example
- Delivery companies, like FedEx, UPS, and DHL
Sometimes, fault for a trip and fall or slip and fall accident is shared by the airport and a third party. If, for example, you were injured while boarding the plane, you may have grounds to sue the airline along with an injury claim against LAX. Going after all the responsible parties is essential to maximizing your settlement value, but third party claims are extremely complex legal actions that you should not attempt on your own. For guidance from a fall accident legal expert, contact our law firm at your earliest convenience.
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LAX Airport Slip and Fall Injuries
A slip and fall or trip and fall incident at Los Angeles International Airport can lead to numerous injuries with devastating effects. People tend to underestimate these accidents, but slipping or tripping over something at an airport can cause:
- Gashes and puncture wounds
- Dislocated or fractured shoulder
- Traumatic brain injury
- Damage to the facial bones
- Neck injury (whiplash)
- Back injuries – spinal cord damage, herniated disc
- Broken hip or pelvis
- Fracture or dislocation of the kneecap
- Torn muscles, tendons, and ligaments
- Fractured coccyx (tailbone)
- Rupturing of the internal organs
- Sprains in the ankles and wrists
- Nerve damage
- Paralysis
- Coma / loss of consciousness
- Death
Sadly, fatalities are not uncommon following a fall-related accident, especially in adults over the age of 60. The elderly or those with pre-existing health conditions may have difficulty recovering from a serious injury, such as a hip fracture or a ruptured spleen. If you lost a loved one to complications from a slip and fall or trip and fall at Los Angeles International Airport, you may have grounds to sue the city for wrongful death compensation. For more information on recovering the losses that are left behind by your loved one, please take some time to speak with a wrongful death lawyer at our office.
What to Do if You’ve had an Accident at Los Angeles International Airport
After a slip and fall or trip and fall accident, there are certain steps that you should take to protect your rights and build a solid case for monetary compensation. While no two accidents are alike, we recommend the following actions if you’ve had a fall-related accident at Los Angeles International Airport:
- Alert airport staff that you’ve been injured
Get the attention of a security guard or another airport employee by calling out for help. Airport staff will ask you questions in order to fill out an incident report or provide you with instructions on how to file an injury claim with the appropriate agency. No matter what, stick to the facts when answering questions about your accident. Statements like “That was silly of me” or “I’m sorry” may be used against you in a compensation claim against the city.
- Document your injuries and the accident scene
If you can, take photos of any visible injuries and the area of your accident, especially the unsafe condition that caused you to fall down. Also, look around for any surveillance cameras, since they may have recorded your accident.
- Obtain contact information from witnesses
Considering the number of people at LAX at any given time, there’s a good chance that one or more people witnessed your accident. If at all possible, ask for their contact information, as they may be willing to provide you with a witness statement.
- Seek medical attention
Ask for an ambulance if you have severe injuries, or go to a hospital as soon as you can to seek medical treatment. Aside from ensuring the best possible recovery from your accident, seeing a doctor will provide you with medical records to substantiate your claim.
- Gather your evidence
Make sure to keep anything that’s relevant to your case, like medical records, proof of missed time at work, witness statements, and items that were damaged in the accident.
- File a claim with help from an airport accident injury lawyer
Government agency claims are very complicated, so it’s in your best interest to seek help from a lawyer experienced in slip and fall accidents at Los Angeles International Airport. You may also have a claim against an entity other than the airport, which must be filed separately. We can take charge of the filing process and ensure that the necessary paperwork is submitted in a timely manner.
Compensation That May be Available to You
Once you’ve determined that you are eligible for an accident injury claim against Los Angeles International Airport, you will need to learn about the damages you are entitled to. By “damages,” we are referring to the categories of compensation you can receive, based on your injuries and how they have impacted your life. Below is a list of the economic and non-economic damages that we typically recover on behalf of slip and fall and trip and fall accident injury victims:
- Cost of medical treatments, medications, surgery, physical therapy, etc.
- Cost of counseling and other services for mental health issues
- Lost income from missed time at work
- Loss of earning capacity for injuries with permanent complications
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress / mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Property damage
- Legal fees
- Punitive damages
Some of these payments are reserved for the most serious injury cases, so it’s important to verify your eligibility for each of these damages before you file your lawsuit. A consultation with an LAX trip and fall lawyer is just a phone call away, so please take a moment to contact our law firm.
Average Case Value of an LAX Slip and Fall Lawsuit
The value of a fall injury accident case at LAX is determined by numerous factors that are specific to the victim and the extent of their injuries. If we consider past settlements and verdicts recovered by our attorneys, we would say that a slip and fall accident case is worth around $250,000 to $2.5 million. Trip and fall lawsuits have similar values, probably in the range of $175,000 to $2.75 million. Please note that these are estimates at the end of the day. Your own settlement is based on the events surrounding your accident, which we will need to discuss in order to come up with a fair compensation amount.
Our Los Angeles International Airport trip and fall attorneys are available to assist you if you have questions about the value of an accident injury case against LAX. Alternatively, you can give us a call and ask to speak with an airport slip and fall lawyer if you slipped and fell at the airport due to a dangerous condition.
How Long Does it Take to get Paid on These Cases?
As an accident victim, your main priority is to settle your case and recover the losses you’ve sustained at the hands of a negligent party. That’s why we strive to bring a resolution to all LAX accident claims within 6 months. But the process can take longer – perhaps 12 to 18 months – based on numerous factors that are beyond our control. For example, high value cases involving severe damage, like brain injury and loss of function, often proceed to a lawsuit. A settlement is still possible at this point, but if your case goes to trial, the amount of time to secure your compensation award can take 2 or more years.
Statute of Limitations to Sue Los Angeles International Airport
Lawsuits are subject to a statute of limitations, which is the amount of time that claimants are given to file a legal action against an at-fault party. If you were suing a private entity, like a grocery store or restaurant, you would have two years to file a lawsuit, starting from the date you were injured. But LAX is a public entity, as it’s owned / operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a department under the city of Los Angeles.
Claims against the government have a 6-month statute of limitations, which means you must file a compensation claim within 6 months of the accident date. From the date of receipt, the agency has 45 days to respond to your claim. If they send you a denial notice, you have 6 months to file a lawsuit against the city. On the other hand, you may not get a response at all within 45 days, which will give you 2 years from the accident date to file a lawsuit.
Keep in mind that you will most likely lose the right to sue if you exceed the statute of limitations. To ensure that your claim is filed in a timely manner, contact us as soon as possible.
Free Second Opinion from an LAX Airport Slip and Fall Lawyer
Do you have an active Los Angeles International Airport slip and fall lawsuit that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere? Are you confused about the laws or certain recommendations from your attorney, but don’t know where to turn? Perhaps you would benefit from a free second opinion consultation on your LAX airport slip and fall lawsuit or trip and fall injury claim. Our job is to evaluate your case and provide you with suggestions that can put your case on the track to victory. But what you choose to do with that information is completely up to you. There is no charge for this consultation, so please don’t hesitate to call us for a free second opinion.
Contact Normandie Law Firm
Are you in need of an LAX slip and fall lawyer for an accident injury claim against Los Angeles International Airport? Do you need an experienced premises liability lawyer to represent you in a Los Angeles International Airport trip and fall lawsuit? In that case, please consult the airport accident injury attorneys of Normandie Law Firm.
Our legal team has decades of experience in the recovery of settlements for airport slip and fall injuries and trip and fall cases. We know these lawsuits inside and out, so you can depend on us to bring you every penny you deserve from airport accident liability claim. All you have to do is give us a call and schedule a free case evaluation with an attorney for slip and fall accidents at LAX.
As for the cost of hiring us, all clients are protected under the Zero Fee Guarantee. You pay nothing upfront, as we wait to recover our expenses from LAWA and any other entities that are responsible for your injuries. That means we don’t make a penny unless we win your case and succeed in bringing you the payment you are entitled to.
Contact us right away to speak with an LAX trip and fall attorney or slip and fall injury expert.
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