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Aviation Wrongful Death Lawsuits
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Aviation Wrongful Death Lawsuits

Aviation travel is inherently dangerous, and while the odds of being in a plane crash are slim, when accidents happen they tend to be catastrophic. If a loved was killed in a plane crash, or any other type of aviation accident, you might be eligible to seek compensation via a wrongful death lawsuit.

Wrongful death lawsuits are cases that allow surviving family members the ability to sue the negligent parties that contributed to the death of their loved one. Negligence refers to reckless actions or a lack of regard for safety procedures.

While large commercial airliner crashes get the most attention, the majority of plane crashes involve small aircraft. These can include private planes, chartered flights, corporate jets and helicopter crashes.

Common Causes of Aviation Crashes

There are several factors that can lead to a fatal plane crash, including (but not limited to):

  • Pilot error – A pilot's failure to exercise proper care is often associated with plane and helicopter crashes. In private aviation, inadequate training and inexperience dealing with harsh weather conditions often lead to accidents. Substance abuse and sleep deprivation can also sometimes play a role.
  • Maintenance problems – private aircraft are not held to the same standards of routine maintenance that keep commercial airliners relatively safe. Problems can often be overlooked or corners cut on repairs.
  • Defective design or parts – Defective parts or flaws in design can cause metal fatigue, mechanical error and failures in other critical areas.
  • Instrument failure – the failure of communication devices, altimeters, or guidance systems can lead to disaster.
  • Wing icing – Ice on the wings can often bring down a plane; negligence can include failure to use de-icing measures or failing to recognize the signs of iced wings.

Contact an Aviation Wrongful Death Attorney

The shock of losing a loved one in a plane crash is traumatic. Discovering that it could have been prevented only adds to the trauma. When someone's negligence or reckless actions are responsible for the death of your loved one, you deserve to be compensated.

Aviation wrongful death lawsuits can involve complex issues of liability and extensive investigations. Only a skilled and experienced plane crash lawyer will be able to help you get the compensation you need. Contact an attorney by calling 1-800-778-3753.

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Free Consultation

If you have any questions regarding your legal rights concerning an airline accident or incident, please contact an Aviation Attorney by filling out the short form below.

Your confidentiality matters. No information, including phone numbers and email addresses will be exchanged, shared or sold to a third party. Submissions do not constitute an Attorney/Client privilege. We look forward to hearing from you and will be in contact shortly.

Aviation Facts

  • Approximately 80 percent of all plane crashes occur shortly before or after takeoff or landing due to human error or mechanical failures.
  • According to an aviation accident survey of nearly 2,200 plane crashes from 1950 to 2004, the number one cause of aviation accidents is pilot error, which results in 45 percent of accidents. Undetermined causes: 33 percent. Mechanical failure: 13 percent.
  • In 2005, there were a total of 1,764 aviation accidents in the United States that resulted in 600 fatalities. Low-level maneuvering of an aircraft was the leading cause of fatal aviation accidents from 1998 to 2004.
  • In 2004, more than 70 percent of all plane crashes that ended in serious injury or fatality occurred during a personal flight. General aviation accidents occur more frequently than airline or business aviation accidents.
  • The most recent statistics on midair collisions has shown a steady decline. In 2004, there were 10 midair accidents resulting in 10 fatalities compared to 11 collisions in 2003 with 23 deaths.