Airport premises liability: the basics

Those who own, lease or operate an airport in Texas are likely required to carry liability insurance in the event that someone is injured on the property. There are various types of liability insurance, including general liability, public liability, premises liability, and owners, landlords and tenants liability insurance.

It’s important for airport owners to ensure that they have a reasonable contract. If they are unsure about any of the terminology, they should ask before signing anything. The reason is that the contract may contain clauses that are unfair to one party or the other. One of these is called the hold harmless clause, which forbids one party from holding another responsible for injuries or property damage.

Co-owners of airports must keep in mind that they are responsible for the safety of those in the portion of the airport they occupy. The extent of the area they occupy may be determined by written or verbal agreement. Bodily injuries are the most common factor in premises liability claims and cover more than the slip-and-fall accidents that most people tend to emphasize.

Airport owners may not need to purchase a separate policy for liability. Premises liability could be added to their existing policy for little or no additional charge.

As for those who are injured at an airport, they may want to seek out a lawyer who works in the field of premises liability law. Perhaps an individual tripped over a cord, slipped on a wet floor or was injured by a falling object. Whatever happened, a lawyer may hire third parties to investigate the incident and gather proof that the owner failed in his or her duty of care. They may also need to clear plaintiffs of any unreasonable conduct before the case is ready.