Understanding Personal Injury Claims at Las Vegas Airports
Las Vegas is home to one of the top ten busiest airports in the world.
Harry Reid International Airport (formerly known as McCarran International) in Las Vegas handled a record 52.7 million passengers in 2022.
Airports and airlines operating in Nevada are responsible for maintaining safe conditions for passengers and others on their property.
Accidents can occur within the airport and in parking lots, walkways, and other areas on the property the airport encompasses.
When injuries occur due to unsafe conditions, or negligent security, victims and their families can sue for compensation to cover medical expenses, lost income, pain, and suffering, or even wrongful death.
Airports In Nevada Are Government-owned
All commercial airports in Nevada are government owned and operated.
The Harry Reid International Airport is owned and operated by the Clark County.
In Nevada, a monetary cap of $200,000 applies to all lawsuits against a government agency, or in this case, the airport.
As part of the claims process, you must prove that the airport or its employee/s caused the incident and subsequent injury.
When an individual gets injured by an airport employee or on the airport property, they may file a personal injury lawsuit immediately and submit a completed formal claim form with the Nevada State Board of Examiners. The claim form is a way to avoid litigation and pursue a quicker settlement.
The attorney general’s office will review any properly-submitted claim and decide whether to approve or deny it.
The Montreal Convention
The Montreal Convention 1999 (MC99) establishes airline liability in the case of death or injury to passengers and in cases of delay, damage, or loss of baggage and cargo.
For example, you can claim damages under the Montreal Agreement if you’re injured because of turbulence during a flight. Your claim may be limited to $150,000 without proving negligence. If you can show negligence, you may be able to exceed the $150,000 limit.
The Montreal Convention would cover travel from Las Vegas to Tokyo, as travel between two treaty countries is international. However, travel from Las Vegas to New York City is different. If travel is entirely domestic, then local law applies. In the United States, the Department of Transportation rules govern domestic travel.
Injuries During A Flight
You can sue an airline for negligence. While on board, you may suffer an injury due to turbulence, luggage falling from overhead bins, falling in the aisle, assault by another passenger, rolling food carts, malfunctioning seats and equipment failure, and food poisoning.
Slip And Fall Accidents At Airports
Airports or private companies conducting business at airports in Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas have a legal duty to keep the tens of millions of passengers passing through their doors every year safe and protected. Unfortunately, these airports and private entities do not always meet their obligations. Passengers and visitors frequently slip, trip, or fall, sustaining severe injuries.
Slip and fall accidents injure millions of Americans every year. Accidents at airports are typically caused by wet floors, poor lighting, broken handrails, uneven walkways, ripped carpeting, loose electrical wiring, and debris in walkways.
Many risks are exclusive to airports, such as moving sidewalks or horizontal escalators that are supposed to facilitate the rapid transport of passengers. An inadequately maintained escalator or elevator can cause serious injury.
In addition to suing the airport, which is a government agency, you might have a claim against maintenance companies, transportation companies, airlines, retailers, and restaurant operators.
Slip-and-fall injuries are common at airports because people are often preoccupied and in a rush. Unsafe conditions, coupled with passengers often being distracted with their luggage and trying to keep up with family members and friends they are traveling, can lead to accidents.
Food courts at airports are also potentially hazardous areas because of their fast-paced environment,
Negligent Security At Airports
When an airport in Las Vegas does not have reasonable security in place, and a crime occurs, the victim can pursue compensation from the airport.
When airports fail to incorporate reasonable security measures, assault, battery, sexual assault, and other injuries can occur.
The risk of crime is always constant at airports.
Due to the nature of violent crime in airports and surrounding areas, injuries due to inadequate security often devastate victims and their families. These injuries frequently leave victims permanently disabled or emotionally traumatized and force them to incur massive economic costs.
Negligent security arises at airports from situations in which a third party injures a traveler and seeks to hold the airport or the private business owner operating at the airport on whose premises their injuries occurred.
Car And Pedestrian Accidents At Airports
One person died, and another was hospitalized last month after a three-vehicle collision shut down the airport connector outside Harry Reid International Airport.
Hundreds of cars, trucks, taxis, limos, buses, and any other vehicle you can think of all pass through the airports in Las Vegas every day. Injuries can occur due to the carelessness of vehicle operators. These accidents can happen in passenger pick-up and drop-off areas, parking lots, and other waiting areas.
Airports always have a lot of pedestrian traffic, and any small mistake by a driver can lead to severe consequences for those on foot.
Pacific West Injury Law – We Have Earned An Impeccable Success Record In Las Vegas Personal Injury Claims And Considerable Goodwill Throughout Las Vegas
If you or a loved one was injured at an airport in Las Vegas, Henderson, or North Las Vegas, it’s essential to consider your legal options. You may wonder who is to blame and whether you have any grounds for financial recovery.
An experienced airport accident lawyer at our Las Vegas personal injury law firm can assess the circumstances of your accident and outline the best way to proceed. Our elite legal team has successfully recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients and can protect your interests in complicated airport accident cases.
Contact a Las Vegas airport accident lawyer at our law firm for a free, confidential consultation about your airport accident.