Liberty Aviation Accident Attorneys

If you sustained injuries in an aviation accident someone else caused, contact the Liberty personal injury attorneys of House Packard McElderry, LLC immediately. You should seek medical care while we investigate the accident and determine who we can hold liable. You might be entitled to compensation for your injury from the at-fault party or their insurance company.

House Packard McElderry, LLC knows how traumatic it is when an accident involving an airplane, helicopter, or another type of aircraft happens. Aviation accidents include more than just planes crashing into the ground. Injuries can also occur while on board an airplane or while the plane is taxiing on the runway. Severe turbulence could cause a faulty latch to open and spill luggage from the overhead bin. Or a pilot might make a maneuvering error and miss the runway while landing.

You have a right to hold the at-fault party liable for their misconduct. You could recover the money you need to pay for your medical bills and other expenses. These costs should not be your responsibility if your actions didn’t contribute to your injury. Although no amount of money can change what happened, it could relieve your financial burden while you’re healing, so you don’t end up in debt.

Aviation accidents occur for a range of reasons. The pilot could make a mistake that causes them to crash land into the water, or a piece of equipment could malfunction. The consequences can be deadly when airplanes and helicopters fall from the sky. Survivors can suffer debilitating or permanent injuries and face a lifetime of physical impairments.

At House Packard McElderry, LLC, our aviation accident attorneys in Liberty, MO, are ready to represent you in your case. We will review the circumstances of the accident and create a strategy to try to achieve your desired outcome. You can count on our legal team to be your advocate and protect your rights until the end. We will treat you as a priority from the moment you hire us.

Call us at (816) 381-9105 or contact us online for a free consultation and learn more about your available options after an aviation accident.

plane on fire

You can reach out to our top-rated Liberty aviation accident lawyers 24/7 to request a free consultation. Request a free consultation

Common Types of Aircraft Involved in Aviation Accidents

There are two types of aviation – commercial and general.

General aviation includes multiple types of aviation, except military and commercial airlines. The pilots operate nonscheduled flights that commercial airlines don’t operate. Common aircraft used in general aviation include:

  • Emergency service helicopters and planes
  • Small airplanes
  • Non-commercial aircraft
  • Charter flights
  • Personal and business jets
  • Offshore helicopters
  • Tour planes and helicopters

Commercial aviation involves pilots who have been trained and licensed to fly commercial airplanes. These pilots are held to higher health and safety standards than general aviation pilots. Nearly everyone is familiar with commercial flights. You likely traveled on a commercial plane within the country or internationally at some point in your life. The aircraft in commercial aviation take off and land at larger airports.

Although the pilots in each type of aviation fly different types of aircraft, they must complete various levels of training programs and obtain licensing and certifications for the aircraft they fly. Without the necessary experience, pilots can make errors that put others at risk of injury or death.

Common Types of Aviation Accidents

Various scenarios can result in an aviation accident. A passenger could get hurt whether the plane is taking off, landing, or in the air. The most common types of aviation accidents include:

Landing Accidents

Pilots must follow procedures when coming in for a landing to ensure they land the plane in the correct place without incident. Miscalculating the distance or improperly descending could cause a pilot to miss the runway or crash into a fence or nearby building.

Faulty Overhead Bins

The latches on overhead bins must be secure. Flight crews are supposed to close the bins completely before takeoff. Any bin left partially open or with a faulty latch could open mid-flight and cause luggage to fall on a passenger sitting underneath.

Runway Collisions

Collisions can happen when a plane is on the runway or tarmac. The aircraft might crash into a luggage transport vehicle, an employee walking near the gate, or another plane.

Takeoff Accidents

Accidents can happen while a pilot takes off from an airport. It’s vital to calculate the appropriate speed and distance to bring the tires off the ground and ascend the plane. Errors while approaching the end of the runway or making specific maneuvers could lead to an accident.

Slip/trip and Falls

Passengers can get hurt on aircraft at any time. Someone could slip or trip on a hazard and sustain injuries during a fall, whether the plane is in the air or on the ground.

If you suffered an injury in any type of aviation accident, do not hesitate to contact House Packard McElderry, LLC. One of our Liberty aviation accident attorneys will be happy to speak with you and determine whether you have a case you can pursue.

Call House Packard McElderry, LLC

The Liberty airplane accident attorneys of House Packard McElderry, LLC know how to handle the complex liability issues associated with aviation accidents.

Contact an Attorney

Common Causes of Aviation Accidents

Whether on a private jet, commercial plane, or helicopter, you could end up in an accident due to someone else’s negligence. The most common causes of aviation accidents include:

  • Approaching the gate too quickly
  • Pilot and air traffic control miscommunications
  • Inadequate preflight inspections
  • Malfunctioning engine or another part
  • Poor weather conditions
  • Obstructed runway or tarmac
  • Distracted or inattentive pilot, flight crew, and other airline employees
  • Inadequate maintenance and repairs on the aircraft
  • Violations of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations
  • Low fuel
  • Air traffic control errors
  • Problems with the landing gear
  • Pilot error

No matter who caused the accident and how their actions contributed, you should pursue legal action against them. It’s vital that you don’t wait long before preparing your case. You should contact House Packard McElderry, LLC immediately and seek treatment for your injury. The more time passes, the harder it might be to locate valuable evidence and meet strict deadlines.

Common Injuries in Aviation Accidents

Different injuries ranging in severity can happen during an aviation accident. Some people only suffer minor injuries that require minimal medical treatment. Others sustain injuries that cause long-term problems and require ongoing treatment to manage pain or adjust to a disability.

The most common injuries in aviation accidents include:

  • Permanent scarring or disfigurement
  • Burn injuries
  • Nerve damage
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Loss of limb
  • Whiplash
  • Paralysis
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Lacerations
  • Back and neck injuries
  • Physical or mental disability
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Broken bones
  • Internal bleeding or organ failure
  • Psychological injuries

Some aviation accidents are fatal. According to statistics, 332 deaths occurred in general aviation, and 349 fatalities resulted from commercial aviation in 2020.

Compensation for Aviation Accidents

Multiple parties could be liable for injuries in an aviation accident. The pilot isn’t the only one responsible for keeping passengers safe. The flight crew could make a mistake during the preflight inspection or forget to close an overhead bin.

Various individuals and companies you could potentially hold liable for an aviation accident include:

  • Air traffic controller
  • Flight attendant
  • Plane servicing company
  • Pilot
  • Mechanic
  • Private jet company
  • Maintenance or repair worker
  • Commercial airline
  • Manufacturer of a defective aircraft or part

When you file an insurance claim or lawsuit, the compensation you receive might compensate you for your accident-related losses, such as:

  • Medical bills
  • Permanent impairment and disability
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Damage to personal property

You could also recover punitive damages. However, this form of compensation is only available in a lawsuit, not an insurance claim. You must show clear and convincing evidence that the defendant caused intentional harm without just cause or acted with flagrant and deliberate disregard for the safety of others.

State law allows a surviving spouse, child, parent, or descendant of a deceased child to pursue a wrongful death case. If your loved one died in an aviation accident, you could file a wrongful death lawsuit against the at-fault party. The compensation you recover might compensate you for these kinds of losses:

  • Funeral and burial expenses
  • The value of benefits and income the deceased likely could have earned if they had survived
  • Pain and suffering the deceased endured between the date of the injury and death
  • Medical bills related to the fatal injury
  • The reasonable value of training, services, companionship, support, instruction, comfort, guidance, and counsel the deceased can no longer provide to surviving family

Statute of Limitations for Aviation Accidents

You must file your lawsuit within a specific timeframe if you want to sue the negligent party for your injury. Missouri’s statute of limitations allows five years. That means you have five years from the date of the accident to initiate your lawsuit for compensation.

If you’re pursuing legal action for the death of a family member, you must adhere to the three-year statutory period. The timeframe starts on the date of your loved one’s death instead of the date they sustained the fatal injury if the two dates differ.

Contact Us

At House Packard McElderry, LLC, our aviation accident attorneys in Liberty, MO, will protect your rights and aggressively seek the money owed to you for your injury. We know how devastating an aviation accident can be and the struggles you face while recovering. You can expect to receive quality customer service and support throughout your case.

We take cases on contingency, so you’re not responsible for upfront fees or costs. We don’t collect our legal fees unless we secure compensation for our clients. That means you don’t have to pay us unless we win your case.

If you sustained injuries in an aviation accident due to someone else’s negligence, call House Packard McElderry, LLC for your free consultation at (816) 381-9105.