Aviation Accidents

If you have been hurt or lost a loved one in an aviation accident, contact Brodhead Law, LLC right away. Our Atlanta personal injury lawyers will help you understand your options under the law.

Why Choose Us?

• We can develop legal strategies to fight for the best possible outcome.
• We prepare our cases thoroughly, investing the time and effort necessary to prove liability, understand defense strategies, and prove causation and damages.
• With more than 20 years of experience representing seriously injured accident victims, we have recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients. We have a success rate of more than 99%.

Aviation Accident Statistics

The Aviation Safety Network reports that:

• 15 fatal airliner accidents occurred in 2018.
• 556 people died in those crashes.
• 12 of those fatal accidents involved passenger flights.
• 3 were cargo flights.
• The accident rate was one fatal accident per 2,520,000 flights.
• 2017 was the safest year to date in aviation history, with 10 accidents and 44 lives lost.
• In the past 5 years, loss of control caused at least 10 of the 25 worst accidents.

Types of Aviation Accidents

Aviation accidents encompass anything that goes wrong at the airport or during a flight. Types of aviation accidents include:

• Aviation accidents involving commercial airlines.
• General aviation accidents that involve small, private planes and corporate and charter aircraft.
• Helicopter accidents that involve private, corporate, or medical helicopters.
• In-flight accidents that injure passengers on board during a flight (for example, head injuries involving overhead storage bins).
• Airport accidents, such as falls, collisions, or equipment malfunction that can occur during boarding or disembarking, or when passengers are in the airport.

Causes of Aviation Accidents

Pilot Error

A leading cause of commercial jet crashes is pilot and crew error. Pilot error may involve fatigue or sleep inertia (after waking up from a required nap). It may also result from poor or inadequate training, faulty judgment, or poor response to mechanical failure and external problems. Examples of pilot error include:

• Failure to correctly read, interpret, and use cockpit instruments
• Failure to follow directions from air traffic control
• Navigation errors that cause the plane to collide with obstacles
• Disconnection of autopilot
• De-icing the plane improperly
• Ignoring fuel levels
• Mistakes in maneuvering and speed control

Mechanical Failure

Defective aircraft design and faulty equipment have led to many deadly aviation accidents. Poor maintenance can also play a role. Failures can occur when the components and structure of the aircraft are subjected to stress due to age, corrosion, or flight time.

Air Traffic Control

Air traffic controllers play a crucial role in the safety of commercial passenger flights. Failure to properly guide air traffic through negligence or error can cause serious aviation accidents.

Contact Us Today

Aviation accidents can cause serious, catastrophic, or fatal injuries. If you or your loved one has been a victim of such an accident, call Brodhead Law, LLC as soon as possible.