Wolf & Pravato's Blogs: Drone Injury Lawsuit: USC Fraternity Sued for Falling Drone Injury

Last October, during fraternity’s outdoor party at USC, an attendee was hit in the head by a drone that was photographing the event. Not much is known about how the injury occurred. However, what is known is that the drone was being operated by the third party event production company known as Perfect Event Inc.

The drone’s impact on the head of the victim caused her to almost immediately start bleeding profusely, though she did not lose consciousness. The lawsuit, against both the fraternity as well as the event production company, alleges premises liability and negligence.

Drones Can Be Deadly

The injury sustained by the victim in this case required immediate medical attention. After being struck in the head, she fortunately fell onto a friend who prevented her from falling to the ground (which likely prevented a second blow to the head against the ground). From that point, an ambulance was called and friends helped the victim to the front curb of the house where an ambulance was able to take her to a nearby hospital.

Drone accidents can have fatal consequences. While it is unclear exactly how this accident happened, if a drone loses power while it is a hundred feet in the air and freefalls to the ground, the impact could be deadly. The newly passed drone laws took these sorts of accidents into account, and now require drone operators to maintain liability insurance. Additionally, the new drone laws prevent drone operators from flying directly over people’s heads.

Head Injuries Are More Serious

The victim of the drone accident in this case is alleging more than just an injury to her head, she is also claiming that the injury to her head has caused her difficulty concentrating at school. While the public often views claims of emotional distress, or claims tangentially related to injuries, with skepticism, the drone operator, fraternity, and event production company, in this case, should be thankful that the victim didn’t die or suffer a permanently disabling blow.

Head injuries are among the most catastrophic, along with injuries to the spinal cord. Even though we have thick skulls, an injury to the head, if severe enough, can damage the brain, which can create permanent injuries or disabilities.

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