Where Can I Find the Best Airport Accident Lawyers in Palm Harbor, FL?

When most people think of airport accidents, they think of plane crashes on takeoff or landing. Due to the high casualty count, those are the types of accidents that receive the most press. But the vast majority of airport accidents don’t involve a plane in any way. Instead, they take place in the hundreds of public places found in every airport.

All but the smallest airports are a hive of activity. Each day, thousands of people hurry to catch flights, shop at terminal stores, get meals at the food court, ride on trams, and pass through security. This constant flow of people results in hundreds of accidents every year.

If you have suffered an accident at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport or any of the other airports near Palm Harbor, you might be entitled to compensation. 

The team at Morgan and Morgan has airport accident lawyers in Palm Harbor to help you with your case. Use our simple contact form today to get a free evaluation of your case.

The Many Dangers of an Airport

Most airports are effectively malls, municipal buildings, bus stations, and hotels all combined into a single structure. For all of the advantages of this situation, an airport also has all of the dangers of those locations. Accidents can happen in any part of the airport, and you need to stay aware of your surroundings.

Escalators and Moving Walkways

Most major airports have both escalators and moving walkways. When well maintained, these devices can comfortably speed up your travel time. When poorly maintained, they can cause terrifying accidents. The sudden stop of an escalator or moving walkway can throw you forward resulting in various injuries.

Airports are also required to put appropriate warning signs on moving walkways and escalators. If you aren’t properly informed how to use them safely or that the end of one is coming, you can be injured. 

These warnings should be given both visually and audibly, for the sake of disabled individuals. Failure to properly inform the public makes the airport liable for accidents.

Hallways

There are two major dangers in airport hallways: wet floors and motorized vehicles. If you’ve ever been to an airport, you’ve probably seen wet floor signs. This is because the airport is responsible for informing people whenever there’s a slip and fall hazard, whether from a spill or routine cleaning. 

If you aren’t properly warned, the airport could be liable when you slip and fall.

The motorized vehicles that routinely travel around most major airports also pose a danger. These vehicles are only driven by airport employees who are required to follow strict safety rules to protect the pedestrians moving around near these vehicles. 

If you are hit by a reckless motorized vehicle driver, airport accident lawyers in Palm Harbor can help you get compensation.

Restaurants

Food service in airports ranges from fast food to fine dining. Regardless of the quality of food, restaurants are required to make sure it’s safe and properly prepared. This doesn’t always happen. And when it doesn’t, you might suffer food poisoning or similar harm.

Most airports don’t directly run food services. The majority of food service providers are run by independent businesses. But that isn’t always true, and sometimes the airport might still be responsible, even when a restaurant is an independent business. 

Speak to airport accident lawyers in Palm Harbor to learn more about who has liability if you’ve been harmed at an airport restaurant.

Luggage Belts

Luggage belts have similar risks to escalators and moving walkways. And in many cases, they may be even more dangerous because they aren’t designed to move people. If you fall onto a luggage belt or if it moves too quickly, you might be injured. 

In addition to these dangers, an accident with a luggage belt could result in your luggage being damaged or destroyed.

Parking Lots

Most airports have complicated parking lots with tight one-directional lanes. Parking lot accidents can happen for a variety of reasons, but an accident may be the fault of the airport when it’s the result of:

• Poor lighting
• Unclear signs
• A dangerous parking lot design
• Tight turns
• Badly maintained roadways

Parking lot maintenance isn’t generally a priority at most airports because there are so many other, more critical things to take care of. But when poor maintenance results in a car accident, you have grounds to file a lawsuit against the airport.

Another danger in airport parking lots is the parking buses or trams that help people get around. These vehicles are dangerous in the same way that indoor motorized vehicles are. They can also present slip and fall dangers to passengers if they aren’t properly maintained.

Gas Stations

One of the dangers that people are usually least aware of is the fact that most major airports have a gas station on the grounds. Like most gas stations, if spilled gas is left uncleaned, it presents a danger to anyone visiting the station.

Muggings and Theft

While muggings and theft aren’t an accident, they are a danger at airports. Airports are supposed to provide an appropriate level of deterrent against these activities. This means that waiting areas should be well lit, security guards should be plentiful and visible, and security cameras should be functional. 

If an airport fails to properly protect you, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit for your losses.

How Airport Accident Lawyers in Palm Harbor Can Get You Compensation

If you have suffered an accident at an airport near Palm Harbor, the first thing you should do is speak to a Morgan & Morgan attorney. Our lawyers will evaluate your case to determine who is at fault and what compensation you are owed for the accident. If you have a strong case, we will help you get the money you deserve as quickly as possible.

Once we take your case, we will gather all of the evidence needed to prove the liability of the airport and the harm you suffered. To gather this evidence, we will make observations of the location where you were injured, speak with witnesses, collect police reports, and get you a medical evaluation. 

Our attorneys know what evidence is important and how to get it quickly and efficiently.

Morgan & Morgan attorneys also have decades of experience negotiating with the insurance companies representing airports. We can present the collected evidence in a way that will convince insurance companies to make a fair offer rather than risk the consequences of a trial. 

We also have a reputation for success in the courtroom that helps convince insurance companies to settle.

When negotiating a fair settlement offer, we will attempt to get you compensation for more than just your medical expenses. We negotiate for lost wages, continuing therapy or treatment, damaged property, pain and suffering, and more. When negligence at an airport results in harm to you, you deserve as much compensation as the law allows.