Last week, a tragic accident claimed the life of a 10-year-old boy and left his siblings and mother seriously injured. The family was checking their flight’s status at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport after a family vacation in Florida when the massive display screen fell off of the wall and onto them.
The screen, weighing between 300 and 400 pounds, was a new and updated piece of equipment in a recently renovated wing of the airport. This means that this accident is likely the result of negligence on the part of one of the companies that worked on the renovation project.
With two family members still hospitalized, an investigation is beginning to try to determine what went wrong to cause this sign to detach from the wall. According to Reuters, airport officials are already speaking to the contractors and subcontractors involved in the renovation work.
In premises liability cases like this, the family may have claims against those companies in addition to the airport and its managers. However, this claim will require complex and sophisticated investigations-an experienced personal injury and wrongful death law firm can help victims in similar situations.
Source: NBC News, “Alabama officials probing fallen airport sign that killed boy,” Verna Gates, Mar. 25, 2013