First off JS I am very sorry to hear about this and glad that everyone is ok (relatively speaking).
Originally Posted by cawhite60156
Very good point. When I'm the person opening the overhead bin, I always open it a crack and wait for a few seconds before opening it the rest of the way, to get an idea if anything has shifted to the point of resting on the "door" and waiting to fall out. Not a foolproof method, but better than taking a chance IMO
^^^ This is exactly what I do. Crack it, wait and then open very slowly. I too have caught a the odd item that has shifted and it is worth it every time.