As an airport worker in the Chicago area, you have demanding job duties and work in environments that can increase your risk for injury. Airport worker injuries are often a result of working with dangerous equipment, hard physical labor, and, in some cases, your employer’s failure to keep you safe. These injuries can be severe (and sometimes fatal), leaving you and your family in a difficult financial position.
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When you are injured on the job, your employer or insurance company may be responsible for your medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Blumenshine Law Group helps injured airport employees understand their rights and pursues and represents their interests in recovering compensation from those responsible— whether that is an employer, co-worker, or third party.
Ready to protect your rights and secure the compensation you deserve?
Contact Blumenshine Law Group today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our Chicago team will review your airport worker injury case, answer your questions, and fight to recover your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.
Call us now at (312) 766-1000 or fill out our online form to get started. You don’t pay unless we win.
Injuries Are Common in Airport Work Environments
The daily activities of airport workers often involve physical work and the use of vehicles, machinery, chemicals, and other hazardous materials, all of which can contribute to injuries. Your case will be specific to the facts of your workplace incident, but common places for airport injuries are:
- Tarmac and runway: Those on the tarmac are constantly exposed to high-risk factors that lead to injury. Accidents may involve various types of vehicles, including tugs towing airplanes, airplanes themselves, equipment attached to airplanes, and other machinery used on the runway. Tug accidents are particularly dangerous because these powerful vehicles operate in tight spaces and heavy traffic, increasing the risk of collisions and injuries. On the tarmac, you are often exposed to severe weather, especially in Chicago, with its hot summers and cold winters, which may also contribute to injury incidents.
- Luggage Handling: Travelers carry heavy, awkward luggage that airline employees must transport from the terminal to the aircraft storage area and then to the baggage claim area. Constant loading and unloading of luggage can cause overuse injuries that damage critical parts of the body, such as the back and legs. Placing bags on moving conveyor belts can also contribute to strains from putting your body in awkward positions.
- Airplane maintenance: People working on airplanes often are at risk for injury from falls because they frequently work on ladders and other elevated platforms. The tools and airplane parts they maintain also create the potential for cuts, burns, and other traumas.
- Construction: Airports are constantly undergoing construction, which can create dangerous conditions that lead to injury events. You may be a contractor working at the airport or an employee in the center of an accident because of ongoing construction.
Injuries among airport workers are often associated with the tarmac; however, those working at the check-in counter, in food service, and other airport facilities are also at risk. Regardless of your role or responsibilities within the airport, your injury must receive the necessary attention and compensation.
Statistics on Airport Worker Injuries: Understanding the Risks
Airport workers face a variety of hazards in their daily roles, and recent statistics highlight the significant risks they face. According to OSHA, workplace injuries in the aviation sector have increased by 17% since 2019, with even higher rates reported among certain companies like Southwest Airlines. For tarmac workers specifically, the injury rate has surged by approximately 64%, underscoring the dangers inherent in their responsibilities.
The most common injuries include:
- Musculoskeletal Injuries: Often caused by heavy lifting and repetitive motions, such as loading and unloading luggage.
- Slips and Falls: Resulting from wet or icy surfaces on tarmacs and in airport facilities.
- Tarmac & Ramp Vehicle Accidents: The ‘ramp’ is a high-danger zone. We investigate collisions involving:
- Pushback Tugs: Blind spots often lead to crushing injuries.
- Belt Loaders: Equipment failure can cause heavy luggage to fall on handlers.
- Catering Trucks: Scissor-lift mechanisms can malfunction or strike nearby workers.
- Chemical Exposure: From substances like de-icing agents or fuel.
- Burns: Caused by contact with hot equipment or machinery.
- Hearing Loss: Due to prolonged exposure to high-decibel environments near aircraft engines.
These injuries often stem from factors such as understaffing, inadequate training, malfunctioning equipment, and high-pressure work environments. For instance, rushed procedures and insufficient oversight can leave workers vulnerable to severe accidents under immense time constraints.
Understanding these risks is crucial for airport workers and employers to ensure proper safety measures. If you or someone you know has been injured while working at an airport, it’s important to seek legal guidance to protect your rights and secure fair compensation for your injuries. Contact us today for a free consultation!
Your Employer or Others May Be Responsible for Your Injury
The carelessness of others, including employers, is typically the cause of injuries to airport workers.
This may take the form of failing to implement necessary precautions to ensure the airport’s safety, disclosing potential dangers to workers, failing to provide adequate training or supervision, and other negligence contributing to injury events. Regardless of their level of fault, your employer is generally responsible for your injuries within the course and scope of your employment, with some limited exceptions.
The process for workers injured at an airport to recover compensation after an injury can be complicated, as employers will look for ways to minimize their responsibility for your injury. Employers, especially those in the aviation industry, have access to valuable resources to defend against workers’ compensation claims. The employer might cite, for instance, a worker who fails to disclose a pre-existing condition or a worker who fails to follow proper protocols. An experienced attorney in airport injury cases can help you navigate the complex process of obtaining the compensation you deserve.
Beyond Workers’ Comp: Third-Party Liability Claims
In Illinois, Workers’ Compensation pays for your medical bills and lost wages, but it generally does not pay for pain and suffering. However, O’Hare and Midway are unique work environments where dozens of different companies operate in the same tight space.
If an employee of a different company injured you, you may be eligible to file a Third-Party Personal Injury Lawsuit in addition to your Workers’ Comp claim. This allows you to recover damages for pain and suffering, which can significantly increase the value of your case.
Common Third-Party Scenarios:
- A United Airlines ramp agent is hit by an LSG Sky Chefs catering truck.
- A Swissport baggage handler is injured by defective ground equipment maintained by a separate contractor.
- A TSA agent slips on a floor left wet by a cleaning contractor like Scrub, Inc.
Common Contractors & Employers at Chicago Airports
We handle claims involving the complex web of contractors at O’Hare and Midway, including:
- Ground Handling: Swissport, Menzies Aviation, Worldwide Flight Services (WFS).
- Catering & Service: LSG Sky Chefs, Gate Gourmet.
- Cleaning & Maintenance: Scrub, Inc., United Maintenance.
- Fueling: Signature Flight Support.
- Airlines: United, American, Southwest, Delta.
Injured Chicago Airport Workers Can Receive a Free Consultation
Blumenshine Law Group aims to get you the Maximum Recovery in the Minimum Timeâ„¢. We are also responsive to your concerns and keep you informed of the progression of your case, two key components of our Client Service Pledge. We understand that workplace injuries can cause stress over your health and finances, so we treat our clients with the utmost compassion while providing effective legal counsel.
The first step in pursuing compensation for a workplace injury or fatality is to schedule a free consultation with one of our firm’s attorneys. You can call or text (312)766-1000, email [email protected].
Contact Blumenshine Law Group today to schedule your free consultation.