Personal Injury Claims Question Safety of Using an Airport Wheelchair
In recent years, a number lawsuits have been initiated against the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) on behalf of individuals that claim they were seriously injured while being conveyed in an airport wheelchair, or suffered an injury because no airport wheelchair was available for them.
Disabled passengers rely on their airline to ensure that their needs are met when they are travelling. This includes providing assistance to disabled travelers that need to be conveyed in a wheelchair if required. However, the responsibility for passengers is not clear cut, and the legal claims allege that the airport itself bears responsibility for airport wheelchair injuries.
Who is responsible for the safety of travelers that need airport wheelchairs?
Canadian regulations state that an airline is responsible for ensuring that disabled and elderly passengers are conveyed safely at all stages of their journey, beginning at check-in and ending at baggage claim. However, the airports themselves must keep their properties safe and accessible, including the equipment and airport wheelchairs they provide. This may include ensuring that passenger assistance workers are properly trained and have access to enough equipment, but there have not been any cases that address this question.
Many of the lawsuits that have been initiated following airport wheelchair injuries claim that inadequate training, low pay and under-staffing among passenger assistance providers at Toronto’s Pearson Airport contributed to overall bad service. While the airport authority may claim that the airlines have final responsibility for the safety of their disabled passengers, the GTAA does have control over the companies providing passenger assistance services within Pearson Airport.
The allegations against the GTAA, its service providers, and various airlines have not been tested in court. What is evident from the claims raised is that multiple parties may be at-fault for airport wheelchair injuries, and therefore responsible for compensating injured victims.
Personal injury lawyers with experience handling airport wheelchair injuries
If you have been injured while using an airport wheelchair, or suffered a trip and fall or other personal injury because no airport wheelchair was available, you may have a claim for compensation. Finding a personal injury lawyer with experience handling claims arising from injuries in airports can help you better navigate this complicated area of law, and improve your chances of success.
Derfel Injury Law has represented victims of injuries at airports and on flights, and can assist with a claim even if your injury happened outside of Ontario. We provide professional service and pride ourselves on being accessible to our clients and taking care of their best interests, so they can focus on recovery.
Contact us online or call 416-847-3580 to make an appointment. We are available to meet new clients at convenient locations in Toronto.