Plane crashes and helicopter wrecks often result in serious physical injuries, including not just broken bones and bumps on the head, but also possibly serious brain and soft tissue injuries and possibly death.
If you have been injured as a result of an aircraft accident, whether you were in the aircraft or on the ground, you could be entitled to recover for:
- Reimbursement for bills and medical expenses and property damage – if the accident hurt you and caused you to seek medical treatment, or if the accident damaged your personal or real property, you could be entitled to money damages to compensate you for those bills and losses
- Pain and suffering – this is a legal term for the compensation a victim of an aviation accident can seek for any physical pain caused by injuries sustained, particularly when the injuries cause permanent impairment
- Mental anguish – often, victims can recover for the emotional strain they feel and that is imposed on family members due to prolonged illness and worry about the future
If a family member has been seriously injured or killed as a result of an aircraft accident, you have legal rights on behalf of your loved one. You may be entitled to recover for:
- Loss of consortium – this is a legal term for the loss of companionship and partnership that someone experiences when a spouse becomes gravely ill or permanently injured
- Wrongful death – this is the legal term for a claim by a person who has lost a family member due to an aviation accident
If the accident that hurt you or your family member was caused by a pilot or company’s reckless disregard for safety standards, in addition to the damages above, you may be able to recover punitive damages.
- Punitive damages – Punitive damages can be additional money awarded to a plaintiff by a jury as a punishment to the company or person for their malicious disregard of your well being. Punitive damages are meant to deter such actions in the future – by this party and others. In Missouri, 50% of all punitive damage awards are put into the Missouri Tort Victims’ Compensation Fund, which helps victims of torts who cannot recover from the defendant at fault.
To read more about the Missouri Tort Victims’ Compensation Fund, click here
When you or someone in your family has been hurt in a plane or helicopter crash, being able to recover for these damages is often dependant on pinpointing the cause of that accident or the party at fault.
Click here to read more about who is at fault in an aircraft accident
This requires extensive investigation which may involve recreating the accident site, obtaining FAA and black box reports, investing in flight crash experts, etc.
We have over 100 years of combined legal experience dealing with major disasters like helicopter crashes, plane crashes, and other aviation-related accidents caused by pilot error, faulty parts, or substandard maintenance. We understand the legalities of these types of issues and we are skilled at navigating the system. More importantly, we recognize the severity of the damages victims suffer from and we are committed to advocating for victims’ rights.
Contact us today and tell us what happened. We are here to listen and answer your questions for no charge or obligation. Let us do the work so you can focus on recovery. Help us help you; help us keep our community safe.