Vermont International Flight Injury Lawyer

If you live in Vermont and were injured on an international flight, your claim against the airline is usually governed by the Montreal Convention, an international treaty with its own rules on liability, deadlines and where you can sue. Muggeo & Associates represents passengers from across New England in international flight injury claims against U.S. and foreign airlines. Attorney Louis J. Muggeo brings more than 2,000 hours of civilian flight time to the firm’s aviation work.

How Vermont Travelers Fly Internationally

Vermont’s main commercial airports include Burlington International Airport. Vermont travelers often connect from Burlington through U.S. hubs, drive to Boston Logan, or fly from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, about two hours north of Burlington. Flights departing from Canada are international carriage, and Canada is a party to the Montreal Convention, so injuries on those flights are usually governed by the Convention.

Montreal Convention Basics

Accident: The airline is liable for bodily injury caused by an “accident” on board or during embarking or disembarking, meaning an unexpected or unusual event external to the passenger.
Strict liability: Since December 28, 2024, the airline is liable without proof of fault up to 151,880 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) per passenger, and above that amount unless it proves it was not negligent or the damage was caused solely by a third party.
Two-year deadline: Suit must be filed within two years of arrival at the destination, or of when the flight should have arrived.
Where to sue: Article 33 limits the places a claim can be filed, including the destination on the ticket and, for injury or death, the country of the passenger’s principal and permanent residence if the airline serves it.

Read our step-by-step guide on how to make a claim under the Montreal Convention.

Common International Flight Injuries

Falling bags from overhead bins
Severe turbulence
Hot drink and meal burns
Beverage cart injuries
Falls in the aisle, on air stairs or on the jet bridge
Injuries during wheelchair assistance
Hard landings and emergency evacuations

See how courts analyze each in our guide to airline injury types.

Injuries Outside the Convention

If the Montreal Convention does not apply, Vermont’s general limitations period for personal injury is three years, though other rules and notice requirements can apply.

Representing Vermont Passengers From Outside the State

Our attorneys are not admitted in Vermont. Many international flight injury cases are filed in federal court or in Massachusetts or New York, depending on the itinerary and the airline. When a case must be filed in Vermont, we may work with local counsel.

Frequently Asked Questions

I flew to Europe from Montréal. Can I still sue in the United States?

Possibly. If Vermont is your principal and permanent residence and the airline operates services to or from the United States and conducts business here, the Montreal Convention’s fifth jurisdiction may allow suit in the United States. Otherwise, the claim may need to be filed in Canada, the airline’s home country or the destination.

Are you licensed in Vermont?

Our attorneys are not admitted in Vermont. Montreal Convention cases are often filed in federal court, and the proper court depends on the itinerary and the airline. Where a case must be filed in Vermont or Canada, we may work with local counsel.

Does it matter that I crossed the border by car to catch my flight?

Not usually. The Convention applies to the air carriage on your ticket, not how you reached the airport.

Hurt on an international flight? Call Muggeo & Associates at (978) 741-1177 or request a consultation. Montreal Convention claims must be filed within two years of arrival, so do not wait.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Whether the Montreal Convention applies, where a claim can be filed and what can be recovered depend on the ticket, the itinerary and the facts. Our attorneys are admitted in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Florida; where a case must be filed elsewhere, we may work with local counsel. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes. Last reviewed November 2026.

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