Plane Crash
Plane Crash. Airplane and helicopter accidents.
Aviation is the science of flying by aircraft, and the term aviation accidents includes both airplane accidents and helicopter accidents. In spite of the aviation industry’s claim that flight is the statistically safest mode of travel, the truth is that flying accidents happen more often than you might think, and when they do happen, they almost always result in the serious injury or death of those on board, along with innocent bystanders on the ground.
Survivors of plane crashes may suffer a variety of serious injuries, from broken bones to severe burns. Many helicopter accidents occur on medical flights, and if the victims are fortunate enough to survive, they may have severe injuries to add to their existing problems. Medical expenses and lost wages from lost work multiply quickly into problems for anyone who survives such a catastrophe, and for the families of those who don’t, there are funeral expenses, the lost support of your family member, and the grief over a lost loved one to contend with. You are left with so many unanswered questions. How did this happen? Who is responsible? How can you get help?
How Does a Plane Crash or Aviation Accident Occur?
- Airplane crashes and helicopter crashes are caused by pilot error, mechanical failure, air traffic controller errors, improper loading of aircraft, fuel contamination, improper maintenance procedures, and sabotage.
- Collisions with flocks of birds have many times caused jet engines to fail, while air traffic controller error has caused planes to crash head-on, crash into mountains, or land on occupied runways.
- Chemical spills in storage compartments have caused airplane fires or asphyxiated crews, and design or manufacturing defects in airplane parts have caused wings to separate, rudders to jam, and cargo doors to fly off with planes in flight.
- Flight path diversions, maintenance errors, and design defects have caused planes to run out of fuel in mid-air.
Who is Responsible for a Plane Crash?
A plane accident might be caused by a person’s carelessness, like the sleepy pilot who hasn’t had enough rest before flying, or by a defective part or defective design, like a design that allows ice to build up in fuel lines in certain weather conditions, for which a manufacturer may be held responsible.
In commercial airliners, the black box records the details of every flight, and Federal Aviation Administration inspectors pore over every bit of wreckage until they are able to announce a cause. With private flights, air traffic control records a great deal of information about what occurs during a flight. If the plane crashes in a location where the evidence can be found, it is surprisingly easy to find out what caused the crash, and this knowledge will help determine who should be responsible for providing just compensation to those injured or the families of those killed.
When you’re ready to go forward, we have the resources and the knowledge to confront those responsible for your loss and make them pay.
Airplane and helicopter accidents often become the subject of class actions. These are lawsuits in which a few plaintiffs are allowed to sue on behalf of the entire class of people who were injured or people who lost loved ones in the accident, because the facts and issues regarding fault in the accident are the same for each person who has a right to sue the defendants. Individuals are offered the option to join the class. They may choose to opt-out and file their own lawsuits. There are strict time limits and complex legal determinations associated with making decisions about how to seek compensation for your losses. The Jay Murray Law Group knows how to answer your questions, and will help you decide how you want to proceed in seeking compensation from those responsible.
