Airplane Accident Law Lawyers & Attorneys

An average of 1,000 to 2,000 people die and around 5,000 have been injured as a result of plane accidents in the US since the 1930's.

  • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) works hand in hand with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in keeping air travels as safe as possible.
  • The FAA acts as the main regulatory body for enforcing safety standards to all aspects including manufacturing, navigation and air travel safety research.
  • The NTSB on the other hand investigates plane accidents to know the cause and comes up with proposals to increase safety in air travel.
  • The NTSB also acts as an avenue for pilots and other aviation workers to appeal their case.

Causes of Airplane Accidents

Surprising information about plane accidents is that pilots and flight crew errors account for about 60% of most commercial plane disasters and that 90% of accidents happen during take-off and landing.

Here are some of the most common causes of plane accidents:

  • Pilot and flight crew error
  • Faulty and poorly maintained equipment
  • FAA regulations violation
  • Defects in structure and design of aircraft
  • Insufficient fuel
  • Traffic Control error

In case the plane accident was not caused by human error, then these factors will be considered as well:

  • Strict liability - According to the law, particularly in the state of California if a user or buyer, in this case a passenger dies or sustains injuries as a result of a plane accident due to a defect in the product (plane) then the manufacturer would be liable for the injuries or for the wrongful death. Even if the manufacturer was not negligent in the production of the product, strict liability still holds him liable for the injuries sustained by the victim caused by the product.
  • Product Liability - Investigates if the plane accident was a result of a defect in a part of the plane, an error of the pilot or even both. It is focused on who is responsible for the accident.
  • 1994 General Aviation Revitalization Act (GARA) - This law protects manufacturers of non commercial planes like business aircrafts with a maximum seating of less than 20 and is older than 18 years from liability cases stemming from plane accidents.

Getting Help

If you are injured or an immediate family dies as a result of a plane accident then you may need legal help in pursuing a personal injury or a wrongful death case.

A plane accident lawyer will be very helpful in establishing your case. Your lawyer can help you in the following:

  • Solving jurisdictional issues
  • Evidence preservation
  • Finding and Interviewing witnesses
  • Preserving traffic control recordings
  • Getting radar information
  • Establishing liable parties

Laws surrounding an airplane accident can be very complicated and without a lawyer to help you it will be near impossible to win a case.

Find additional related information about Airplane Accidents.