O’Hare & Midway Slip and Fall Lawyer: Unsafe Maintenance Liability

Injured at Chicago O’Hare, Midway, or Another Airport? Know Your Rights

If you were injured because of a hazardous or poorly maintained airport area, you may be entitled to compensation. Airports and airlines are responsible for keeping travelers safe—and can be held liable for injuries caused by unsafe conditions.

Take these steps right away:

• Report the injury to airport security or authorities and get an incident report.
• Photograph the accident location and hazard.
• Collect names and contact info for any witnesses.
• Seek prompt medical care, even if injuries seem minor.
• Call Blumenshine Law Group at (312) 766-1000 for a free case review.

Our attorneys have helped many travelers recover damages for lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering after airport injuries. Get answers and protect your rights today.

Real Airport Injury Cases

A 24-year-old woman was permanently paralyzed from the waist down at O’Hare International Airport when an outside pedestrian shelter collapsed on her. The tragic O’Hare airport injury occurred as the woman was walking to her flight under an enclosed pedestrian bridge between two terminals. The structure severed her spinal cord and pinned her to the ground after it became loosened from its base.

An inspection of the airport shelters found that some had rusty supports, were held together by rusty bolts, or had bases that were missing bolts anchoring the shelters to the ground. One shelter was missing eight screws and 24 bolts. In response to the inspection, a worker for the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), the entity responsible for controlling and maintaining the airport, stated that all the shelters would be taken down.

The permanently disabled former dancer filed a personal injury complaint against the City of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Aviation. The lawsuit alleges that proper inspection and maintenance protocols would have revealed the dangerous conditions at the shelter. The complaint asserts that she would not have been injured if the CDA had repaired or replaced the unsafe shelters.

A few years ago, a physician was seriously injured when she slipped and fell in a puddle of liquid as she was walking past restaurants in O’Hare Terminal 3. She severely injured her knee and required two operations. She was unable to work while receiving treatment. The doctor sued the City and the CDA, alleging that those responsible for maintaining the airport were negligent because they knew, or should have known, of the spill and failed to clean it or warn of its existence. The City and CDA settled with her for $800,000.

Airport Slip and Falls

Airport slips, trips, and falls are among the most common causes of injuries. Walking surface irregularities at airports include slippery surfaces, spilled food and drink, debris, unsafe floor mats, water leaks, loose carpets, uneven floors, and broken or non-existent walking safety mechanisms such as handrails. Another common cause of falls at airports is slippery jet bridges.

Maintenance often fails to keep up with spills or other potentially hazardous conditions. People arriving at an airport are in motion and need flat, dry, and safe walkways to keep them accident-free as they travel.

If you have been injured in a slip-and-fall at an airport, it is crucial to take immediate steps to protect your rights. Report the incident to airport security and ensure it is documented.

• Seek medical attention promptly, even if injuries seem minor initially, as some conditions may worsen over time.

• Collect evidence, such as photos of the scene, witness contact information, and any relevant details supporting your claim.
• Consulting with a personal injury lawyer experienced in Chicago airport slip and fall cases can help you navigate the complexities of proving liability and securing the compensation you deserve for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.

It’s Not Just the City: Liability for Cleaning Contractors

Most travelers assume that if they slip on a spill at O’Hare or Midway, they must sue the City of Chicago. In reality, the daily cleaning of terminals, restrooms, and food courts is often outsourced to massive private contractors like Scrub, Inc. (at O’Hare) and United Maintenance.

Why this matters for your case:

• Longer Filing Deadlines: While claims against the City of Chicago often have a strict 1-Year Statute of Limitations, claims against private cleaning companies typically have a standard 2-Year filing period.
• Proving Negligence: We investigate cleaning logs. If a contractor marked a restroom as “cleaned” at 10:00 AM but missed a puddle that caused your fall at 10:05 AM, they can be held liable for negligence.

Proving “Constructive Notice” in Airport Falls

In a busy terminal, the defense will often argue that “the spill just happened, and we didn’t have time to clean it.” To win, we must prove Constructive Notice—that the hazard existed long enough that they should have found it.

At Blumenshine Law Group, we secure digital evidence to prove this, including:

• Security Camera Footage: We demand preservation of the video to show exactly how long the spill remained on the floor before you fell.
• Shift Logs: We analyze records to see if janitorial staff were understaffed or skipped a scheduled rotation.
• “Smart Restroom” Data: Many airport restrooms now have electronic sensors that track exactly when cleaning crews enter and exit. We use this data to contradict false maintenance logs.

Who is Liable: The Airport or the Airline?

• The airline: When an accident occurs on an airplane due to the airline’s negligence, the airline is generally liable for the resulting injuries. Examples include tripping over debris in the airplane’s aisle, injuries caused by attendants, being hit by objects falling out of the overhead bin, and other accidents explicitly related to the airline, including aviation accidents.
• The airport: When an accident occurs in the airport terminal while walking from one gate to another, near the food court, in the waiting areas, or other public places, the airport manager will be liable for injuries that occur due to its negligence.
• Both may be liable: Sometimes, the airline and the airport manager may be responsible for injuries. Recently, at O’Hare, a Southwest Airlines employee pushed a woman in a wheelchair toward the boarding gate. The wheelchair was tipped, and the woman fell out and was injured. The injured woman has filed suit against the City of Chicago, the CDA, and the airline.
• Either, neither, or both: If you are injured in the airport waiting area for an airplane, the airport is most likely liable. However, you must be cautious and include the proper defendant in your lawsuit. You could be suing the airline when you should be suing the airport. Meanwhile, the statute of limitations for suing the airport could expire.

The court could dismiss your suit against the airline because it is the wrong entity, and you have lost your right to pursue damages. An experienced attorney can determine the correct person or party to name as a defendant in your personal injury lawsuit.

Our Airport Accident Lawyers Can Help

If you’ve suffered a personal injury at the airport due to unsafe maintenance or negligence, call or text our airport accident lawyers at the Blumenshine Law Group for a free consultation at (312) 766-1000 or email [email protected]. Time may be of the essence. If the incident occurred at Chicago’s O’Hare or Midway airports, a claim for damages may need to be filed against the City of Chicago and/or the CDA; special rules and time limits apply, as they are governmental entities. We’ll review the circumstances of your accident and determine the best course of action to move forward.

Not a slip and fall case?
If you were injured by a shuttle bus, jet bridge, or baggage cart, visit our main O’Hare & Midway Airport Injury Lawyer page.

FAQ

Who is liable for a slip and fall at O’Hare?

Liability often falls on private cleaning contractors (like Scrub, Inc. or United Maintenance) for failing to address spills. If the hazard was a structural defect, the City of Chicago may be liable.

What is the time limit to sue for an airport fall?

If the City of Chicago is the defendant, you often have a strict One-Year Statute of Limitations. Claims against private contractors typically follow the standard two-year personal injury limit.

How do you prove the airport knew about a spill?

We use ‘Constructive Notice’ evidence, including security camera footage, digital cleaning logs, and ‘Smart Restroom’ sensor data to prove the hazard existed long enough that it should have been cleaned.

Consult an experienced attorney to evaluate your case and ensure it’s filed within the statute of limitations. Contact Blumenshine Law Group at (312) 766-1000 for a free consultation.