Date: 201511
Flight conditions: VMC
Aircraft: B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Flight Attendant; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Weather
Primary problem: Weather

Narrative: I was the First Officer on this flight and we turned around after a Flight Attendant was hurt from turbulence. I am not sure when the injury occurred. We did not learn of the injury until somewhere around NY. On climb out at approximately FL220; we had a one second bump of turbulence. We were in smooth air and then experienced this one jolt which turned into light turbulence. The IRO was up leaving the cockpit and the Captain told him to tell the flight attendants to be seated. I should have grabbed the phone and made the announcement myself and I have a great working relationship with the crew and should have made the announcement as I wouldn't have been stepping on toes.      During flight planning we knew of extensive areas of turbulence. I was present for about 90 seconds of the thorough crew briefing on the aircraft and the Captain spoke the entire time about the turbulence on this flight. He told the Flight Attendants (FAs) they would not be able to complete their service before the possible moderate would begin around NY. In my mind; he had rung the bell so to speak; but we did not have climb out reports until we checked on with the 3rd ATC frequency I think. We were told of possible moderate from I think FL 190-23;000. The Captain began a climb at 250 Kts to expedite through these altitudes.  Once we learned about the injury; the Captain asked me to fly and asked the FAs to find a doctor. He then contacted Dispatch via SATCOM and it would not work. He then got a VHF phone patch. This worked for about 4 minutes. Then he started typing on ACARS. Dispatch told us [medical services] never answered. The Captain went back to assess the injured crew member to decide where to go. We were nearly to Halifax by now and I thought Boston was a logical diversion. Closest airport with great medical care. I asked Dispatch if they agreed or had thoughts if we diverted. We never got an answer. The Captain came back and felt our departure airport was better in case we needed to recrew and felt our hurt FA would be better off at home. We made this decision with no dispatch input. We asked for landing data. No response. When we landed; we waited for a gate for 10 minutes because no one knew when we were landing even though we updated our time. The rides were terrible on return and we had to go down to FL 260 to get out of moderate turbulence. We were met by paramedics. We learned we were legal to continue. The Captain asked me to talk to Dispatch regarding the new flight. We had been cleared track W and were now going on Z. I won't forget the Dispatcher saying Z was the ONLY track that did not have severe turbulence.




Synopsis: A B767 First Officer was informed of a Flight Attendant being injured by a fall due to turbulence during climb. The crew elected to return to the departure airport to get medical attention. Attempts to communicate with the company were unsuccessful.