Aviation law can be extremely scary. All of the big airlines have massive amounts of legal representation and if you believe you should be compensated for injury (or death of a loved one), then you could be in for a long ride.
One of the most critical decisions you can make is securing a good aviation accident attorney. To do so, you should increase your own personal knowledge of how aviation accidents take place and the most common types experienced around the world.
In this article we will explore some aviation statistics, causes of injury and death, and finally advice on how to secure the proper attorney for you.
Some Aviation Statistics:
It is a commonly quoted statistic that air travel is the safest in the world. In part, that’s true, but it depends on how you gauge the numbers.
When measured in travel-distance per accident, air travel is indeed the safest. The sheer length of plane trips make them by far the longest traveled per trip. As such, plane travel is believed to be 6 times safer than car travel and 2 times safer than rail.
Unfortunately, the one statistic that airlines tend to ignore (but insurance companies do not), is the amount of casualties per accident. Due to their large payload and severity, air accidents are among the most devastating in the world.
It is that all-or-nothing nature of aviation accidents that make safety and flight competence so critical.
Most Common Types of Airline Accidents:
Although it’s not fair to say any kind of aviation accident is ‘common’, listed here are the most frequent causes of trouble.
* Aborted Landings. Occurs when a pilot makes the decision not to fully complete a landing operation. This can be caused by runway confusion, obstruction, or miscommunication with the tower. Aborted landings run the risk of abortion error, poor fuel management, or communication complications all possibly resulting in a devastating accident.
* Defective Landing Gear. Manufacturer defects and poor upkeep are two common causes of landing gear malfunction. Although only one small part of the entire plane construction, landing gear is an essential piece of the landing process. When landing gear buckles or fails to deploy, survival is rare and injury is a certainty.
* Pilot Negligence/Error. As technology grows more and more sophisticated, the likelihood of human error is lessoned. However, the pilot is still a key component of successful flight, especially when in smaller aircraft. Pilot negligence or error should always be considered when analyzing an injury situation.
* Taxi/Takeoff Error. Airport takeoffs require a lot of communication and nuance. Each plane has to be taxied around the airport properly and kept away from other planes. Small aircraft must also be kept away from the heat and push of jet engines as they takeoff.
* Flight Error. During the ascent, flight, and approach of a normal trip, it is important that all stages be handled properly. Each provides its own challenges in regards to weather, equipment, and other variables.
Securing Legal Council:
The accident-types listed above are very broad and are designed to give you a general idea of what can go wrong. Inside each of those categories are a slew of more specific problems. If you wish to stand a good chance in court, you need to find an attorney who understands the mechanics of all the things that go on before, during, and after flight.
It is also critical that you consider the size of your flight – was it a one-man tour of the grand canyon or an airbus trip to Europe? These size variables will greatly change both the compensation you can seek and the kinds of resistance you will get.
When searching for an attorney, use established legal networks to find the best one in your area. Don’t rely strictly on yellow pages or one source of word-of-mouth, as these sources can be easily influenced. Gather as much evidence for your case as you can and get the best legal representation possible.
Bill Hayes is owner of The Hayes Firm, a specialized personal injury attorney network designed to find the best lawyer for each individual client. Every incident is unique, and it’s important to have someone with many years of experience and an extensive network to help you find the right kind of attorney. Aviation accidents are one of Bill’s specialties and he will be able to properly guide you through the legal process and get you the help you need. Visit today and receive a free legal consultation!
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