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The man removed from the flight appears to be gearing up to file suit.

Will the Passenger Injured on the United Flight File a Lawsuit?

Earlier this month, Americans watched in horror as a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight was violently dragged off it after being involuntarily bumped from the flight due to United’s overbooking policies. The passenger, Dr. David Dao, suffered a concussion, a broken nose, and lost two front teeth as a result of the incident.

There are many complex reasons why the United flight was overbooked, why the airline could not offer more compensation to passengers to get them to voluntarily give up their seats, and how Dr. Dao ended up being physically removed against his will from the airplane. But one thing is for certain: Dr. Dao suffered serious injuries as a result of the incident, and early indications are that he is planning to file a lawsuit against the airline for their actions. He has hired a personal injury attorney, and that lawyer filed a petition in court asking that it to require the airline to preserve evidence relating to the flight, such as surveillance video, cockpit audio, passenger and crew lists, incident reports, and officer personnel files. Given the public outcry over the situation, a lawsuit for the injuries suffered by Dr. Dao seems likely.

While this particular situation may be rare, injuries aboard planes and other types of public transportation are unfortunately not. Airlines are a type of common carrier, which is any sort of vehicle that moves people or goods from one place to another for a fee. Common carriers can be just about any kind of vehicle—including buses, taxis, airplanes, trains, and cruise ships. Common carriers are required to exercise the highest degree of care when it comes to the safety of their passengers. If they fail to take reasonable steps to keep their passengers safe, then they may be held responsible for any injuries that their passengers suffer.

As experienced personal injury attorneys, we see many different types of cases involving injuries on common carriers. A passenger on a tour boat may slip and fall on a deck that has been improperly maintained, resulting in a serious injury. A tour bus driver may be negligent in driving too fast, causing an accident that leads to fatalities. A school bus driver may operate the bus under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Incidents involving common carriers can lead to devastating consequences.

If a bus, boat, plane, taxi or other type of mass transit vehicle is not operated safely, it has the potential to impact many people at once. That is why it is so important that they be held to the highest safety standards.

At the Law Offices of Larry H. Parker, we are dedicated to fighting for the rights of victims of all types of accidents — including bus accidents, boat accidents, slip and falls, car crashes, motorcycle collisions, and dog bites. We offer free initial consultations, where we will explain your rights and your options. We never charge a fee unless we recover money for you. Contact us today at 800-333-0000 or info@larryhparker.com to learn more about how we can help you!