Airplane accidents frequently result in catastrophic injuries and death. The resulting lawsuits are complex, involving state and federal law, and sometimes international law. Unfortunately, once an airplane crashes, important physical evidence is usually destroyed in the accident. Determining the cause or causes of an airplane accident can be extremely difficult. A meticulous and intensive investigation is necessary to reveal the tragic reasons behind the crash of the aircraft.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the agency responsible for investigating and determining the cause of airplane accidents, pilot error and aircraft malfunction are the primarily causes of airplane crashes. Other factors contributing to disasters involving planes going down include bad decisions taken by air traffic safety controllers, defective equipment, defects in the structure or maintenance of the aircraft, and violation of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and/or NTSB regulations.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association reports that there are approximately 29,000 commercial flights in the skies of the United States at any given moment. Though accidents with commercial airliners do not occur often, whenever a mass commercial plane disaster occurs, it results in substantial loss of human life and catastrophic injuries. Commercial airliners, otherwise known as common carriers, are those willing to carry any and all paying passengers. Under Florida law, common carriers are required to exhibit the highest degree of care with the practical operation of the plane, its equipment, maintenance, and adjustment of all its parts. Common carriers have a duty to ensure the safety of its passengers while boarding, traveling, and deplaning, and they cannot entrust this duty to anyone else.
Regardless of whether the crash was caused by the failure of aviation equipment, or as a result of human error, the consequences are tragic. Whether the crash involves a privately owned airplane, a common carrier, or even a helicopter, liability, or legal responsibility, could be placed on the owners, manufacturers, or operators of the aircraft. It is also crucial to learn if the aviation disaster could have been avoided by a better design of the aircraft, proper maintenance or compliance with FAA and NTSB regulations.
Victims of an airplane crash, and their loved ones, may be able to file a lawsuit to recover lost wages, costs of medical bills and compensation for their serious injuries, as well as for the wrongful death of a loved one. While the NTSB performs its investigation, victims of airplane crashes can count on the skills, resources, protection and experience of the attorneys at Lesser Lesser Landy & Smith. Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions regarding your rights in these circumstances.
