Airplane or Other Aviation Accidents
Aviation accidents usually include airplane, helicopter, or hot-air balloon crashes, or other types of aircraft accidents. Aviation accidents are serious, often involving catastrophic loss of life or significant, life-altering injuries. Victims of aircraft accidents or their surviving loved ones may be entitled to recover compensation for their losses by filing lawsuits against responsible parties. Depending on the facts and circumstances of the crash, it may make sense to seek damages from the pilot, airline, aircraft owner, manufacturer, maintenance crew, airport operations, and even governmental authorities.
Consulting with a knowledgeable, skilled aviation accident attorney is the best way to determine whether you have a highly compensable claim, and how to be fully compensated for the personal injuries you suffered.
Understanding Aircraft Injury Accidents
Many aviation accidents involve commercial jetliners or private aircraft crashes. However, accidents can also arise under circumstances not directly related to flying. For example, aircraft injury attorneys represent victims injured during the course of performing aircraft maintenance, those hurt by propellers, and people injured at airports.
Common reasons for crash-related aircraft accidents include the following:
- Equipment issues or defects. Mechanical failures and structural defects, including manufacturing, design, and warning defects, or other issues related to parts can lead to malfunction which, in turn, may lead to an accident.
- Human error. In some plane accidents, the aircraft equipment functioned as intended but human error resulted in disaster. A grounds crew member, pilot, or another responsible party may have been negligent by using poor judgment or miscalculation, or otherwise made a terrible mistake.
- Weather issues or air traffic control errors. When an aircraft accident occurs because of weather or air traffic control error, the aviation company, pilot, and/or aircraft controllers may be responsible for the resulting damage.
Were you or a loved one injured in an accident?
Discuss your case with a lawyer.
Your case evaluation is free, confidential, and tailored to you.
Compensation for Aircraft Accidents
People considering hiring an aviation accident attorney to pursue a lawsuit may find themselves asking “Is it worth it to file suit?” Every accident scenario presents unique circumstances that may impact whether, and how much, compensation is available to victims who were injured or killed. Your aircraft accident attorney will help you understand the strength of your case so you can make an informed decision.
In general, people file civil lawsuits after an aviation accident hoping to obtain monetary damages to pay medical expenses related to the injury, pain and suffering, and lost compensation due to an inability to work. Of course, there is never 100% guarantee that a lawsuit will be successful. Still, skilled aircraft litigation attorneys have successfully recovered six- and seven-figure settlements, and even higher amounts in some accident cases.
Why Hire an Experienced Accident Attorney?
In the aftermath of aircraft accidents, the insurance companies for airlines and private aircraft owners are motivated to settle accident claims as quickly as possible, and for as little money as possible. Unfortunately, the insurers are not acting in the victims’ or the victims’ families’ best interests. When you hire an aircraft accident attorney, you have a dedicated advocate on your side, looking out for your rights and interests. Your attorney will handle negotiations on your behalf, preparing your case for litigation in court if necessary and appropriate.
There is no amount of money that can bring back a loved one who was lost in a plane crash, or that can undo serious physical and emotional injuries sustained in an aircraft accident. However, retaining an aviation accident attorney can help you hold responsible parties accountable for their actions and potentially make air travel safer so others don’t experience similar losses in the future.
