Why Hire Our Aviation Lawyers in Lafayette?
Anderson Blanda & Saltzman is here to help. Our Lafayette aviation accident attorneys bring more than 100 years of collective experience to your case, which is crucial due to the complexity of these types of incidents.
Members of our legal team have been designated as Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, and members of the nation’s Top 100 Trial Attorneys. We are prepared and ready to offer our compassionate and skilled legal advocacy to you to help you get justice.
Give the Lafayette accident lawyers from Anderson Blanda & Saltzman a call at (337) 233-3366 to schedule a free consultation and find out more about the assistance we can offer. We will fight hard for you at every step to get you the money you deserve and we won’t charge legal fees unless we win.
Common Causes of Aviation Accidents
Aviation accidents are rare, but they happen. In fact, the National Safety Council reported that there were 358 civil aviation deaths in 2022, down from 373 in 2021.
When an aviation accident happens, victims are often severely injured or they lose their lives. In the aftermath, those who have been hurt or family members of those who were killed need to understand their legal rights.
Accidents in the aviation industry can happen for many reasons. Here are a few of the many issues that can go wrong and cause problems on an airplane:
- Pilot error
- Intoxicated pilots
- Drowsy pilots
- Mechanical failure due to inadequate maintenance
- Mechanical problems due to a defect in the plane’s design or manufacture
- Negligence on the part of air traffic controllers
- Bird strikes
- Other types of human error
It can sometimes be complicated to determine the cause of a specific accident. However, it is necessary to identify who is to blame, as those who caused the incident should be held liable for any resulting losses.
Who is Responsible For an Airplane Accident?
If you or a loved one is injured or killed in an airplane accident, there are multiple potential defendants you could hold responsible and potentially obtain compensation from for the losses you have suffered. Some of the parties who could be found liable for losses include:
- The pilot
- The airline operating the commercial flight
- The company that arranged a charter flight
- The manufacturer of the airplane or any airplane parts
- Maintenance contracts who were performing maintenance on the plane
- Air traffic controllers
- The aircraft owner if the plane is a private airplane
In many cases, you can hold more than one party responsible. For example, you may be able to pursue a case against the pilot, and the airline or aircraft owner if the pilot was negligent while performing work duties and this carelessness was the direct result of the aviation accident that harmed you.
How Can You Recover Compensation After an Aviation Accident?
When an aviation accident happens, you can pursue a claim by making multiple different legal arguments depending on the circumstances.
If there was a problem with the plane, you could pursue a claim under product liability laws to hold the manufacturer accountable. Under product liability laws, you do not have to prove negligence. Your case could be based on a breach of express or implied warranty, or it could be based on strict liability rules that hold companies accountable if their products are dangerous when used as intended.
Whether you were involved in an airplane or a helicopter accident, if there is an issue with the pilot, airline, or maintenance tasks, you could sue based on negligence or intentional wrongdoing. If you can prove that the defendant was unreasonably careless compared to how a hypothetical reasonable person would have behaved under the circumstances, then you can make your case for compensation.
Vicarious liability rules can also allow you to pursue your claim against the employer of the negligent pilot or maintenance person. You do not have to show the employer was personally negligent to pursue compensation in these cases. They are automatically liable for the on-duty or on-the-job negligence of their staff members who act as their agents.
Typically, no matter who you are pursuing your claim against, you’ll be recovering compensation from an insurance company. The insurer may offer an out-of-court settlement, which would involve paying you a lump sum to avoid a court case.
If you don’t reach a settlement, then your claim could potentially be resolved in state or federal court depending on the circumstances including the area where the accident took place, the accident type, and other factors.
An experienced aviation accident attorney will help you to negotiate a fair settlement and get the money you deserve — or will assist you in identifying the right court in which to take action and in building and presenting a strong case to get justice.
How Can a Lafayette Aviation Accident Attorney Help You?
A Lafayette aviation accident attorney can provide invaluable assistance in the aftermath of an airplane accident. Your attorney can:
- Assist you in gathering evidence. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigate airplane accidents. We can help you obtain evidence from their investigation, as well as other crucial information to prove your case such as maintenance logs and details about driver draining.
- Help you to find experts. You may need witnesses to testify about what went wrong with the plane or about the extent of your damages.
- Negotiate a settlement on your behalf. Airlines and their insurers are more likely to take you seriously and make you a fair offer for compensation if there’s a knowledgeable advocate representing you.
- Help you develop a legal strategy. We can assist in determining which court to pursue your case in and in putting together the strongest possible claim after identifying all defendants.
- Present your case. We’ll help you meet your burden of proving that the defendant should be liable for your losses.
Our personal injury attorneys in Lafayette have more than nine decades of collective experience fighting for the rights of injured plaintiffs. We know how to handle complex aviation accident claims and we’ll fight to get you the justice you deserve. We also won’t charge legal fees unless we win.
Get Started Today With Our Lafayette Aviation Accident Attorneys
Give us a call today to speak with a Lafayette aviation accident attorney at (337) 233-3366. You can schedule your free consultation with Anderson Blanda & Saltzman to learn more about the advocacy we can offer as you fight to be fully compensated when an aviation accident has changed your life.