| If you happen to be injured in a plane | | | | the safety of everybody in the air. |
| accident in Los Angeles, how will you recover | | | | |
| claims for your injuries? | | | | • Structural or design problems with an |
| | | | aircraft. |
| First, you need to have basic knowledge of | | | | |
| some laws and regulation governing aviation | | | | • Flight service station employee |
| accidents. Accident laws involving private | | | | negligence |
| planes are different from those applied in | | | | |
| public transportation like jet planes and | | | | • Federal air traffic controllers' |
| special aircraft, such as those used by the | | | | negligence |
| military. | | | | |
| | | | • Third party's carrier selection |
| In general, plane accidents are governed by | | | | negligence |
| aviation laws. General aviation law covers | | | | |
| all aircraft other than those operated by | | | | • Maintenance or repair of the aircraft |
| commercial airlines and the military. There | | | | or component negligence |
| are also state and federal laws governing air | | | | |
| travel. | | | | • Fueling the aircraft negligence |
| | | | |
| The main federal agencies concerned with | | | | In plane accidents not caused by human |
| aviation regulations and laws are the Federal | | | | factors, LA lawyers often determine fault by |
| Aviation Administration (FAA) and the | | | | these standards: |
| National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). | | | | |
| | | | • Strict Liability - Strict liability |
| The FAA is the main regulatory body for | | | | laws in plane accidents differ from state to |
| aviation safety and standards. It has | | | | state. The manufacturer of an aircraft can be |
| enforcement powers, as well as the ability to | | | | held liable if the victim of an accident can |
| issue and revise regulations related to all | | | | prove that a defect in the product (the |
| aspects of air travel safety research, | | | | aircraft) caused his or her injuries. This is |
| manufacture, and navigation. | | | | referred to as strict liability. |
| | | | |
| On the other hand, the NTSB investigates | | | | • Product Liability - product liability |
| aviation accidents and offers proposals to | | | | determine whether an accident was caused by a |
| enhance future air safety. Another duty of | | | | part of the aircraft, pilot error, or a |
| the Board is to function as a "court of | | | | combination of both. |
| appeals" for cases involving pilots or other | | | | |
| aviation workers against the FAA. The NTSB | | | | • 1994 General Aviation Revitalization |
| has neither regulatory nor enforcement | | | | Act (GARA) - It protects manufacturers of |
| powers. | | | | non-commercial aircraft (light aircraft and |
| | | | business aircraft with maximum seating of |
| Liability in general aviation accidents vary | | | | less than 20 passengers) from product |
| depending on the cause of the accident. | | | | liability lawsuits for defects on aircraft |
| | | | older than 18 years. |
| The most common causes of aircraft accidents | | | | |
| include: | | | | Plane Accident Lawyers |
| | | | |
| • Pilot Errors | | | | Aviation accident laws can be complicated and |
| | | | may involve state, federal or even |
| • Faulty Equipment- Faulty equipment or | | | | international laws. This makes litigation |
| even poorly maintained equipment can fail and | | | | involving plane accidents difficult. It is |
| cause an airplane to crash. | | | | therefore necessary for plane accident |
| | | | victims to get the services of a skilled and |
| • Violating FAA regulations- FAA laws | | | | experienced LA lawyer to handle matters for |
| exist to protect everyone using air travel. | | | | them. |
| Violations of FAA regulations can endanger | | | | |