Your Rights if You or a Loved One is Injured in an Airplane Accident
For most people these days, flying has a tendency to be a relatively straightforward and safe process. Statistics consistently show that the chances of incurring a serious injury are much more likely in the car on the way to the airport than on the airplane itself. However, every so often there are disruptions among the clouds that lead to accidents while aboard an aircraft and, sadly, these disruptions often lead to serious injuries or even death. Experiencing an accident while on an airplane can be especially traumatic as passengers are at the complete mercy of the airline they depend on to protect them and get them safely from one destination to another. However, while the first impression of a disturbance on a plane that may come to mind is probably the plane itself crashing, airplane accidents can actually occur in different forms.
Recently, ABC News 10 reported that fifteen people were injured in an airplane accident while onboard an Aerolineas Argentinas flight from Miami to Buenos Aires. The injuries, which led to several of those injured being hospitalized after landing, occurred when the plane experienced significant turbulence after reaching cruising altitude.
The silver lining to the trauma that is typically experienced in an airplane accident is that injured parties and their families have every legal right to seek out compensation and accountability for what they have gone through.
The Different Types of Airplane Accidents
Injured parties may be able to recover for a wide range of airplane-related accidents, including those on commercial airliners, private planes, private helicopters, airport accidents, and injuries that are incurred while in-flight. However, commercial airlines owe passengers a higher duty of care than private aircraft operators.
Common Reasons for Airplane Accidents
As careful as airlines strive to ensure that flights are handled these days, the fact remains that many of the accidents that occur in the air are the result of negligence. These preventable mistakes include faulty inspections or the lack of inspections, mechanical failure, pilot error, noncompliance with required safety measures, poor hiring practices, and oversized cargo storage. These negligent actions can result in in-flight injuries like those incurred by the Aerolineas Argentinas passengers, or unfortunately, even death.
Who Is Liable for Airplane Accidents?
It depends on the circumstances. This is one of the reasons that airplane accidents are investigated in order to figure out the cause of the accident in question. Injured parties may be able to recover from the airplane owner, manufacturers, or even maintenance companies depending on the circumstances.
What to Do at the Scene of an Airplane Accident
- Get medical attention, if needed
- Take pictures and record videos with your smartphone if you can do so safely
- Write down the names of the pilots, flight attendants, and any other witnesses you come into contact with
- Record a journal entry with as much information from your impression of the accident as soon as you can
Contact an Attorney for Help Today
If you or someone you know has been injured in an airplane accident, the Miami airplane accident attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm can help. Bringing a claim against an airplane requires extensive knowledge of aviation laws, personal injury laws and federal and state regulations which we have extensive experience with. Begin by contacting us today to schedule a free consultation.
The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, Tampa, Bradenton and Daytona areas.
Resources:
local10.com/travel/15-injured-during-flight-from-miami-to-buenos-aires
fortune.com/2017/07/20/are-airplanes-safer-than-cars/
