FALLING LUGGAGE IN PLANE CAUSES SERIOUS INJURY
Doctors' College head Karen Thomas suffered a serious head injury when a briefcase fell from an overhead locker during a domestic Air New Zealand flight.
Ref. https://www.stuff.co.nz/hlc/1,,93498~3325923a34~,00.html
Normally this kind of thing doesn't interest me at all. But I was on a plane heading into Dallas for some training when I got smacked on the head with a powerful suit case. The suit case was stored in the over head compartments and was being used for carrying samples of bricks (pre 911). Well it fell on me and about knocked me out! People should really be more careful when storing suit cases and the like.
It seems like flight attendants always run through a set of procedures that usually ensure all the overhead compartments are closed properly. I think in this case, since it was another passenger opening the compartment, they should have exercised more caution when opening the compartment door. Every time I get up to get bags out of the overhead, I am always careful because I know things have shifted and may fall out. I'm assuming the airline would be held responsible, if she initiated suit.
I also had somthing like this hapen to me on a trip back from france, another pasenger opend the overhead campartment and grabed a bag wich draged another along with it letting it land squarly on my head. It took 6 stitches but after a few days I recived a voucher for a free ticket so it was almost worth it