Aviophobia is the word used to describe a fear of flying. Even if the fear you feel before a plane trip does not reach phobic levels, few passengers make it through a flight without suffering some type of anxiety. Knowing the potential risks may put you more at ease and can help you to focus on the more likely causes of personal injuries onboard an aircraft and ways you can help prevent them.
Multnomah County Plane Crash Leaves Two Suffering Personal Injuries
A small, private plane recently crashed in Gresham, roughly 25 minutes outside of Portland. According to a September 24, 2019 KGW 8 news report, it went down in the early evening hours near Southeast 182nd Avenue and Richey Road. The pilot and a passenger were the only two onboard the flight.
Both were taken to local hospitals with serious but non-life threatening personal injuries. Authorities are still conducting their investigation and have not given any indication of the cause of the crash. Reports from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archive show that while a similar incident occurred earlier this year, these and other types of aviation accidents are not common in the state. Prior to recent events, the last airplane accident involved another private flight, which killed four people in 2017. The last time Oregon had a crash involving a major, public passenger airline was over 40 years ago, in 1978.
Dealing With a Fear of Flying
Statistics from the non-profit group Fear of Flying indicate that the general odds of being involved in a plane crash are roughly one out of 11 million. These odds do little to reassure those who simply refuse to take any risk and others who fly despite their fear but suffer anxiety throughout their trip.
While airplane accidents can happen, the greater risks you face are likely to occur either before, during, or after a flight. Common problems that can put airline passengers at risk for personal injuries include:
- Slips, trips, and falls when entering or exiting the plane;
- Physical altercations with other passengers or flight crew and security officials;
- Injuries caused by rolling beverage carts, which can easily bump into hips, hands, arms, elbows, and shoulders;
- Getting struck by luggage that comes loose from overhead storage bins;
- Incidents that occur either in your seat or while attempting to walk down narrow airplane aisles.
Rushing to catch a flight or to get off the plane and flight turbulence are all frequent factors when personal injuries happen. You can reduce your risk by allowing yourself plenty of time, securing loose objects, staying seated during the trip, and following all flight crew instructions.
Contact Us Today for Help
At the Johnston Law Firm, P.C., we represent victims and their loved ones when airline tragedies occur. We also provide the trusted legal help you need to get compensation for injuries that occur due to airport or in flight accidents. Call (503) 546-3167 or contact our Portland personal injury attorneys online today and schedule a consultation to discuss how we can assist you.