As a single-runway airport, you might not think that the San Diego International Airport, or SAN, is very popular or busy. But that is not the case. This facility sees over 25 million passengers each year using the two terminals located on only about a square mile of land, only three miles from the heart of San Diego. This proximity to the city and its large buildings, the constantly changing air currents near the coast, and the massive number of flights each day make SAN a challenging destination for pilots and can also present issues for passengers.

But it is still a very busy and desirable airport in Southern California, being a hub for Alaska Airlines and has recently expanded its international destinations to include many flights to London, Tokyo, and Amsterdam. So, when you venture into the just over 1.5 million square feet of terminal space, be ready to share it with close to 70,000 patrons on any given day. You are sure to find lines waiting to park, get into the ticketing area, and go through security as you make your way ever closer to your gate and a place to wait until your flight is ready to board, then wait its turn to take off.

What that also means is that in addition to patience, you will need to be on the lookout for safety hazards in this busy airport to ensure you avoid the unfortunately common concerns that can result in a trip and fall or slip and fall. While we often think of these falls as minor and resulting in only minor issues, they can be severe and cause catastrophic injuries. If that is the situation you find yourself or a loved one in today, please know that the caring and skilled legal team at DTLA Law Group is waiting to assist you. All you need to do is grab the phone and reach out to our office staff for general information on personal injury incidents and how they are handled by the legal system.

In addition, our staff will help you schedule your free consultation with a seasoned SAN Airport trip and fall or slip and fall injury attorney to review your case. After you relate the facts of the injury incident to your attorney and answer any other questions they have, they will provide you with a complete evaluation of the legal merit of the case and if you have reason to consider a personal injury lawsuit to secure any compensation and justice that is owed to you for the harm you suffered at San due to negligence. From that point, all the choices are up to you, and our staff will never pressure you into making any decisions that are not what you feel will best meet your immediate and long-term needs. Our only goal is to ensure that you and all personal injury victims like yourself get the legal guidance and help needed to move forward with a normal and happy life. But we ask that you please reach out to our team as quickly as possible, as there is a time limit for taking legal action to secure the compensation owed to you for harm caused by negligence while at SAN.

The interesting and often upsetting fact is that most trip and fall or slip and fall injury incidents at airports like SAN are due to minor issues that the staff or maintenance crew should have discovered and corrected before anyone was hurt. However, in these huge spaces that are constantly filled with pedestrian traffic, the inspections and repairs are not always completed as needed. Many victims look back and discover that it was a mundane issue that caused them to fall, suffer severe injuries and face months of pain and huge medical expenses. Items most often to blame for a trip and fall or slip and fall include:

• Loose flooring or floor coverings like carpet, tile or laminate wood

• Litter and debris left on floors or walking surfaces outdoors

• Water or other liquids are spilled and not properly mopped up

• Food spilled on the floor and was not cleaned up

• Water or other liquids leaking from pipes or hoses

• Clogged drains backing up and flooding floors

• Electrical cords or hoses left in walkways

• Poorly marked or unmarked transitions from one flooring surface to another

• Transitions from one elevation to another, such as ramps or steps that are poorly marked or unmarked

• Broken or missing safety handrails

• Missing, damaged, or saturated floor mats at entryways or other areas that are known for moisture

• Floors that were recently mopped but have no signage to warn guests of the increased slip and fall potential

It is sad to think that a passenger who is moving through the SAN terminal to the gate could suffer a life-altering injury because someone failed to provide the proper care in this facility. But that is the reality for many patrons each year who face painful and costly injuries from a trip and fall or slip and fall as a result of negligence. In the worst cases, the victims sustain one or more of these brutal and life-changing injuries:

• Partial or complete amputations

• Full joint dislocation and the destruction of the soft connective tissue of the joint

• Broken or shattered bones

• Compound fractures

• Severe lacerations or puncture wounds

• Damage to internal organs and internal bleeding

• Harm to the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and delicate skin on the face

• Back, neck, and spinal cord damage

• Head injuries ranging from a skull fracture or severe concussion to a brain bleed or other traumatic brain injuries

All public and private property owners have a legal obligation to the general public to ensure safety on their property. This is required by premise liability law and covers all structures and properties, including SAN Airport. The guidelines cover everything from the construction of a facility to its care and maintenance. Duty of care specifies the obligation of the property owner or their staff when a safety concern is discovered by a guest and reported, or the staff locates one while on the property.

It states that when a safety hazard is present, the staff must respond with at least the same level of care and attention as would be provided by the average prudent person facing the same or a similar issue. For example, you would mop up a spill in your home to prevent anyone from slipping and falling. The staff at SAN must follow that same action and provide the solution in a reasonable time frame. If they fail to act appropriately or within the time period, they may be deemed negligent in their duty of care.

Furthermore, if it is later found that the staff’s negligence caused or contributed to a guest’s harm at SAN, the property owner may be held financially accountable for the guest’s losses and expenses. If you feel that staff negligence was a factor in your SAN injuries, please reach out to the team, which is eager to assist you and has handled many similar cases to ensure the victims receive the full and fair compensation they deserve.