Passenger with limited mobility sustains leg injury on airport tarmac

Our client requires wheelchair assistance when travelling by air. On arrival at Manchester Airport, she was transferred into a vehicle used to transport passengers with limited mobility from the tarmac in front of the aircraft to the arrivals lounge. There was one driver and one person providing assistance.

The driver placed our client’s wheelchair in the vehicle but failed to secure it. As he manoeuvred the vehicle away from the aircraft, the wheelchair fell and hit our client’s leg, causing her great pain and distress.

She sustained a very serious leg injury resulting from a large haematoma which required antibiotics and painkillers. The blister over the haematoma burst and our client subsequently underwent surgery to have it removed. A large section of her leg had to be operated on and she has had plastic surgery to improve the appearance of the scarring. Further operations may be necessary.

We are pursuing a claim against the airline, having alleged that it was an implied term of the contract that the vehicular transport would be safe, secure and driven with reasonable care. We are also claiming that there has been a breach of the airline’s common law duty of care.

The case is ongoing and we now await the defendant’s response to our letter of claim.

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