Whenever there is a crash that involves a major commercial airline, that crash will be reported in all of the major media. However, there are many airline crashes by small, private planes and helicopters that are not so widely reported. When a plane crashes victims almost always suffered devastating injuries such as a brain injury, neck injury, back injury, broken bones, amputation, or a spinal cord injury. Such injuries require extensive treatment and long recovery times. Recovering victims often miss weeks or months of work. Others never return to work because their injuries are permanent. The families of lost loved ones are left emotionally devastated and may also suffer financially. If you or a loved one was injured in an airplane crash, it is important that you immediately consult with an experienced Staten Island Airplane Crash Lawyer who will explain to you your legal options for pursuing compensation from the negligent person or entity through a personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death claim.
Types of aviation accidentsThere are many possible causes of airplane crashes including:
In addition to airplane crashes, there other types of airplane and airport accidents that leave victims with serious injuries such as runway accidents, slip and fall accidents, and turbulence mishaps. For example, when you board an airplane and stow your luggage in the overhead bin, the flight attendants check each bin to make sure that it is properly closed and latched. Despite the care taken by flight attendants, many passengers are injured each year from baggage that has fallen from overhead bins.
In-flight turbulence as well as rough landings sometimes leave passengers with back and head injuries. There are also accidents related to the food service equipment, mobile stairways used to embark and disembark from airplanes, as well as slip and fall accidents on tarmacs and in jetways that lead to passenger injury. Passengers who are injured under any of these circumstances may also be entitled to compensation.
Pursuing compensationThrough a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit there are a variety of types of damages that may be available to you based on the losses you suffered due to another person's negligence. Depending on the type of accident, victims may pursue claims against a variety of parties based on different types of claims. For example, if the National Transportation Safety Board determines that a crash was the result of defective equipment or a faulty design, then victims may have product liability claims against the aircraft manufacturer. If the crash was caused by pilot error, then the victims would have a negligence claim against the pilot and the airline. If the carelessness of an air traffic controller caused the accident, then the victims would sue the federal government under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). If the accident involved a slip and fall on the airplane, then your claim would be against the airline.
Victims who suffer serious injuries after being injured in airplane accidents will undoubtedly face substantial medical expenses. These expenses include the fees your doctors charge, ambulance fees, emergency room fees, hospital fees, surgical fees, costs of prescriptions, costs of medical equipment, as well as fees associated with rehabilitation.
Whether you miss a few weeks or a few months of work, the negligent party is responsible for paying you the wages and other compensation that you lost. Pain and suffering is a legal term that encompasses not just physical pain, but also emotional and mental suffering such as fear, grief, worry, inconvenience and the loss of the enjoyment of life.
If a loved one dies in an airplane crash, the legal representative of that person has can sue to recover damages in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & AssociatesPlane accident cases are extremely complicated and may involve state, federal as well as international law. To make sure that your case is properly handled, it is critical that you are represented by attorneys with experience handling airplane crash cases. Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates to discuss the details of your case. Our staff is experienced in handling claims that result from catastrophic accidents such as accidents involving commercial planes, private jets and helicopters. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.