Airplane accidents are rare, but unfortunately, the accidents that do happen tend to result in severe injuries and fatalities. If you're a survivor of a plane crash, you may wonder who is to blame for the accident and where you can turn to obtain compensation for your injuries. A personal injury attorney may help you identify the liable parties and work to negotiate a settlement that covers your many losses.
The Many Potential Liable Parties
Whether a flight was operated commercially or by a personal pilot, there are multiple parties who could be to blame for the crash. It could be that the pilot made a mistake. The company that employed the pilot might also be to blame if the pilot had a history of questionable behavior indicating that they should not have been allowed to fly that type of aircraft. Depending on the type of flight, it might also be possible that the air traffic operator was responsible for the crash if they cleared the plane for takeoff at an inappropriate time, such as during dangerous weather when a crash would be likely.
It's also possible that the manufacturer of the airplane was to blame for the crash. If defective parts or software led to an otherwise preventable accident, you could be due a settlement from the manufacturer of the airplane or the defective parts. Due to the many potential parties that could be at fault for an aviation accident, it's important to retain a personal injury to help you file a claim. An experienced attorney may help you identify all the liable parties and file suit in a timely manner.
How to Pursue Compensation
Depending on who was at fault, pursuing compensation might involve a personal lawsuit or an insurance claim. If the pilot is the only liable, your attorney might recommend filing a personal injury lawsuit to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. However, it's more likely that the flight was covered by the airline's liability insurance, so your attorney may be able to negotiate a settlement from the insurance company. If the airplane manufacturer was at fault, your attorney may explain the best route to take to hold the company financially accountable for the defect that ultimately led to your injuries.
If you were seriously hurt in a plane crash, recovering from your injuries will be difficult enough without having to deal with insurance claims and a potential lawsuit. While you focus on healing, your personal injury attorney can attend to all the legal matters to ensure that you can pay all your medical bills and expenses.
To learn more, contact a personal injury lawyer.
