Injured While Flying? What Passengers With Mobility Challenges Must Know
Airline Injuries: Key Takeaways
- Airlines are legally required to help passengers with mobility issues get on and off planes, even when airport wheelchair services aren’t available.
- Without sufficient training and equipment, cabin crew can inadvertently cause injuries while helping travelers down the aisle or transferring them into and out of seats.
- When airlines neglect their legal obligations, those affected may be entitled to compensation.
Most people board an airplane thinking about their destination, not whether they’ll get hurt before they arrive. But for travelers with mobility challenges, that risk is real.
Airlines must provide support during boarding and deplaning, so cabin crew may be asked to assist passengers along the aisles or transfer them into and out of their seats. When done without proper training or equipment, these actions can result in serious injuries, emotional distress, and, in some cases, lawsuits.
Nearly one in ten travelers with disabilities avoids flying altogether because of fear of bodily harm, discomfort, aircraft inaccessibility, or damage to their wheelchair or assistive device. If these problems were solved, more than three-quarters of them would get on a plane at least a few times a year.
If you or someone you know has been injured while flying with a disability, you deserve answers. A San Francisco airline injury attorney helps you get them.
Why Passengers With Mobility Challenges Get Injured While Flying
No one should have to risk their safety or dignity to fly. Yet, we’re seeing more and more cases where travelers with limited mobility are injured, blatantly ignored, or denied proper care by airlines.
This is against the law. The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) prohibits discrimination against those with disabilities. Air travel is supposed to be accessible for everyone.
For example, airlines are responsible for providing wheelchair assistance, but cabin crew don’t always know how to handle these situations, especially when airport services are unavailable. Only 31% of disabled travelers believe these staff are adequately trained to assist them.
This training gap has real consequences in the air. When cabin crew are the last line of support, they may feel pressured to perform physically demanding lifts or other maneuvers, often without mobility aids, putting both themselves and travelers at risk.
Common Injuries Caused by Airline Negligence
Disabled passengers face several types of injuries:
- Falls from seats or boarding lifts, which can cause sprains, broken bones, or head injuries
- Muscle strains and joint injuries from being lifted or transferred incorrectly
- Cuts and bruises from tray tables, armrests, and sharp edges on aircraft fixtures
- Aggravation of existing conditions like spinal injuries and hip replacements
- Emotional distress and anxiety, which might prevent someone from wanting to fly again
Have you or a loved one been harmed while getting on or off a plane? An airline injury lawyer in San Francisco like Stoll & Haynes can guide you through your next steps and what compensation may be available.
What To Do After an Airline Injury
Taking the right steps after an injury during air travel is crucial:
Seek medical care
Even minor injuries can get worse over time, so get everything checked out by a doctor.
Document everything
Write down what happened while details are still fresh. Save flight tickets, boarding passes, incident reports, and medical records.
Report the event
File a complaint with the airline and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Know your rights
Travelers with mobility needs are protected by federal law, and an attorney can help if those rights have been violated.
Why Injured Passengers Are Filing Lawsuits Against Airlines
Some disabled passengers injured while flying due to airline negligence have taken their cases to court. The claims vary, but the underlying circumstances are usually the same:
- Passengers and their families say airlines failed to provide legally required assistance.
- Cabin crew report being forced into unsafe situations with no viable alternatives.
- Airlines point fingers at airport wheelchair service providers (typically third-party companies), even though they are legally responsible for providing support.
These lawsuits expose repeated systematic failures and a lack of accountability at multiple levels.
Sometimes, cases drag on for years. However, they put pressure on airlines to take their legal obligations seriously.
Frustratingly, many injuries didn’t need to happen in the first place. Properly trained cabin crew, clear policies, and consistent enforcement could have prevented much of the harm.
Airline Injury Compensation: What You May Recover
When someone with limited mobility is injured on a flight, several types of airline injury compensation might be available:
Medical expenses
Passengers can seek reimbursement for costs of treating injuries, such as doctor visits, physical therapy, surgeries, and medical equipment.
Lost wages
If an injury prevents someone from working, they may be entitled to compensation for lost income or future earning potential.
Pain and suffering
This refers to the non-economic damages that can arise from an airline injury, including physical pain, emotional trauma, and reduced quality of life.
Property damage
Travelers may be able to get compensation for items damaged during air travel, such as wheelchairs and personal belongings.
Why You Should Act Quickly
Laws set specific time limits for filing claims after an airline-related injury, and if you wait too long, you probably won’t be able to recover compensation. So, you’ll want to reach out to an attorney sooner rather than later.
The majority of these claims fall under personal injury law, which covers physical injuries and emotional trauma caused by negligence. Each state has its own time limit for taking action. Here in California, it’s typically 2 years from the date of the injury.
How an Airline Injury Lawyer in San Francisco Can Protect You
Air travel should be safe and stress-free for everyone, but this isn’t always the case. All too often, we see passengers with mobility challenges suffer injuries simply because cabin crew lack proper training to assist them safely.
Here’s where an airline injury attorney like Stoll and Haynes is invaluable. Our San Francisco firm has experience in these cases and can hold an airline responsible for its actions. From gathering evidence to documenting injuries and negotiating with insurers, we’ll focus on protecting your rights.
Airline Injury FAQs
What should you do after an airline injury?
Get medical care, document the incident, and file a complaint with the airline and the U.S. Department of Transportation. An airline injury attorney in San Francisco can guide you on next steps.
What type of airline injury compensation is available?
A passenger could be entitled to reimbursement for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage. However, it all depends on the specific circumstances.
How long to file a claim for an airline injury?
Time limits vary by state. In California, most personal injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the date of the injury.
Flying shouldn’t be dangerous for people with mobility challenges. If you’ve been affected by an air travel injury, contact Stoll and Haynes now and fight for justice.
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Or call us at 415-576-1500
Disclaimer: This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need advice about your specific situation, please contact Stoll and Haynes directly.