Aviation Accidents
Statistically, flying is one of the safest forms of travel. There are far fewer accidents than driving every year, and fewer fatalities. However, due to the nature of aviation accidents, when they do happen, they’re usually catastrophic. Most airplane accidents result in the fatalities of everyone onboard. Some aviation accidents strike without warning, but many accidents are negligence-related.
Failure to properly maintain an aircraft, failure to respond appropriately to an aviation emergency, poor training and pilot error can all cause fatal aviation accidents. Preventable aviation accidents form the basis for liability, and may warrant personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits against the airline and responsible parties. Contact a Parker McDonald, P.C. Dallas attorney with extensive experience handling accident cases for a free legal consultation if you or someone you love have suffered serious injuries in a personal injury accident.
Causes of Aviation Accidents
Airplane accidents may be caused by many things, some of which are unfortunate tragedies and some of which are preventable. Aviation accidents aren’t common, but there are many common factors in the accidents that do occur:
- Collisions with other aircraft;
- Engine problems, including detached engine and engine failure;
- Damage to the wings;
- Collisions with mountains or other fixed objects;
- In-flight fires;
- Terrorist bombings;
- Erroneous military action.
In many of these cases, aviation accidents could have been prevented. Collisions with other aircraft and fixed objects is often the result of pilot error. Engine problems may be preventable with proper maintenance. In some cases, the causes of aviation accidents is external, such as terrorist bombings or erroneous military action. However, in each of these actions, you have a right to a recovery on behalf of your deceased family members.
Liability in Aviation Accidents
Liability in aviation accidents can be a very difficult thing to determine. Liability can rest with the airline, a third-party responsible for design or defective products, or even a third party who took direct action against the airplane to cause a crash. In cases such as terrorist bombings, the airline could also share liability due to a failure to prevent the terrorist act from occurring. Aviation accidents fall under a completely different set of laws than most personal injury law, so if you’ve got a loved one who was injured in an aviation accident, it’s important to consult an experienced aviation attorney. The state of Texas has many experienced and knowledgeable doctors who specialize in handling serious injuries.
