Airplane accidents can be devastating. Survivors and the families of decedents can sue an airline or aircraft company with the assistance of a Chicago airplane accident lawyer when this happens. The primary issue in most of these cases is what caused the accident. Some potential causes include pilot error, defective or faulty parts, defective aircraft design, violations of the FAA regulations, service station employee negligence, and air traffic controller negligence. The transportation accident attorneys at Moll Law Group represent people in Chicago and the surrounding cities who are seeking recovery after a plane crash.
After a major aircraft crash, the federal National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a probable cause investigation into why the accident happened. The FBI and Federal Aviation Agency may also investigate a commercial airline crash. However, these entities may be less invested than a victim who survived the crash or the families of decedents. Also, they may not look into a small carrier accident. The airplane accident lawyers at our Chicago firm hire independent investigators to look into airplane accidents and make sure the appropriate parties are assigned responsibility and held accountable.
Depending on the specific circumstances of the disaster, theories of negligence, strict liability, and breach of warranty may apply. For example, if there was a defective engine, you may have a strict liability case against the manufacturer of the engine. In that case, you will only need to prove that there was a manufacturing or design defect, and that it caused the accident that resulted in your injuries or the death of a loved one. If you successfully prove your case, you may recover medical bills, lost wages, disfigurement, scarring, mental anguish, and pain and suffering. Many airplane accidents result in the death of passengers. Their families may bring wrongful death claims to recover loss of love and companionship, funeral expenses, and other items of damages that may vary by state.
Cases based on a theory of negligence are those in which human errors like pilot errors, air traffic controller errors, or repair errors cause the accident. In those cases, you need to prove the defendant's duty of care, a breach of duty, causation, and damages. To prove a breach of duty, you need to prove that the person who made the error did not act reasonably under the circumstances.
For example, you need to show that an air traffic controller did not take the steps that a reasonable air traffic controller would have taken. To hold a negligent air traffic controller responsible, you may sue the FAA under the Federal Tort Claims Act. However, you should be aware that strict procedural rules must be followed in order to successfully sue the federal government. If the accident in which you were involved is international, the Warsaw Convention may govern your case.
The injury lawyers at Moll Law Group provide aggressive representation to Chicago residents and other individuals who have been hurt because of the negligence of others. Billions of dollars have been recovered in cases in which we have been involved. Our firm represents individuals in communities such as Naperville, Schaumburg, Wheaton, and cities throughout Cook County. Call us at 312-462-1700 or use our online form to set up a free consultation with a Chicago airplane accident attorney.