Qantas passengers plan compo cases
Paul Bibby in the Sydney Morning Herald reports that passengers injured when a Qantas flight plunged dramatically over Western Australia earlier this month have begun preparing compensation claims against the airline, with one claim expected to exceed $500,000.
Personal injury specialists from the law firms CarterCapner, and Slater and Gordon say they have been contacted by about 10 passengers with injuries ranging from back and neck problems, soft tissue damage and post traumatic stress disorder, wishing to launch legal action against Qantas.
The airline could face claims from many more passengers, with personal injury lawyers seeking out the injured to offer their services.
QF72 from Singapore to Perth fell 1050 feet in less than a minute on October 7, slamming passengers into the cabin roof and walls. Fourteen passengers and crew suffered serious injuries and another 30 received medical treatment.
Aviation injury specialist Peter Capner said his firm, CarterCapner, had started preparing claims for three passengers which could include loss of income, potential loss of earning capacity, medical care, and pain and suffering.
He said the claim for one passenger – a Singaporean man who had not been able to work since the incident – could exceed $500,000, though he could not discuss the man’s injuries.
“There were some very serious injuries because of the dramatic nature of the incident, particularly for those at the back of the plane – they experienced a whiplash type experience,” Mr Carter said.
Phil Gleeson from Slater and Gordon said he had begun collecting the details and circumstances of “five or six” passengers from the flight.
“They’ve got everything from soft tissue damage to back and neck injuries and acute anxiety disorders,” Mr Gleeson said.
“I’ve had one inquiry from the family of a man who suffered a significant stroke, which they believe may be related to the injuries he sustained … One is suffering severe anxiety, which may be post traumatic stress disorder.”
The revelations suggest the airline could face a compensation bill running into the tens of millions.
Qantas’s general manager for customers, products and services, Lesley Grant, said the airline had provided immediate and continuing support for all passengers, including reimbursing medical expenses, providing access to counselling, and ex-gratia payments.
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