Injuries Resulting from Airplane Turbulence

When it comes to crash rates and fatalities, commercial air travel in the United States is far safer than roadway travel. Commercial airline crashes are relatively uncommon, with entire years passing in which no commercial flight crashes anywhere in the world.
This doesn’t mean, however, that everyone flies injury-free. Conditions like turbulence can cause injuries to passengers on a plane, even if the flight lands safely at its destination.
What Is Turbulence?
Turbulence is a “rough patch” of moving air. It can be caused by wind, thunderstorms, the jet stream, or proximity to large objects like mountains.
In most cases, turbulence is mild, not unlike driving over potholes in the road. It’s annoying, but it’s not dangerous. A few situations, however, can involve more severe turbulence—or difficulties by pilots in spotting or avoiding turbulence—that result in serious injuries to passengers.
Common Turbulence Injuries
Injuries caused by turbulence that have harmed passengers on commercial flights in recent years include:

• Head and spinal cord injuries. Jostling from turbulence can cause damage to the spinal cord. It can also cause passengers to strike their heads on walls, seats, and other objects, which can result in concussions and other forms of brain damage.
• Broken bones. Severe turbulence can throw people against stationary objects hard enough to cause broken bones, including damage to limbs, hips, and the bones of the head and face.
• Lacerations and bruises. Turbulence may also cause cuts, bruises, and similar injuries. While many such injuries are minor, some can be serious.

Were you injured during an airplane flight due to turbulence or other factors outside your control? If so, an experienced New Jersey injury lawyer may be able to help. Don’t hesitate to contact an attorney who can help you understand your legal rights and choose the path to compensation that best fits your goals and future needs. Contact Lombardi & Lombardi, P.A. for a free consultation.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney/client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.