COMMERCIAL AVIATION

     The crash of a commercial airliner is one the most devastating and horrific tragedies in our modern world.  The attorneys with the Keith Williams Law Group are experienced in helping the surviving loved ones and others touched by these tragic situations in a compassionate and understanding way.  This personal attention under tragic circumstances stems, in part, from person experience, as the founder of the group, Keith Williams, became highly involved in this specialized area of the law after losing a very near and dear friend in a commercial aviation disaster.

Investigating and determining the causes of a commercial airline crash is a detailed, technical, and time-intensive process involving the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, and independent investigators working on behalf of the various affected groups, including the victims, their families, the airlines, and the aircraft manufacturers.  Airlines and other major corporations that are involved have strong, well-funded defense teams, and the victims and their families must battle these forces when they file a lawsuit as a result of a crash.  As a result, commercial aviation cases are very expensive to litigate, and a plaintiff’s firm should have the resources to take the case through trial and appeal, if necessary.  After a commercial aviation disaster, our aviation lawyers are fully prepared to conduct the most thorough investigation possible and to litigate the case as far as necessary to ensure that the victims and their families are able to recover for their losses.  Following a commercial airline crash, families may be asked by the airline’s representatives to provide personal information about the deceased, their occupation, earnings, and who their dependents were.  Not only is this a difficult thing for families to have to deal with in the time after such a disaster, but we strongly advise that the next of kin not respond to any such inquiries without first obtaining legal advice.  Not only does legal representation usually help take the burden of having to deal with these issues off the family’s shoulders, it also helps protect the legal rights of the victims/families that might be impacted by such responses.

After a Commercial Airline Disaster

After a commercial airliner crashes, the airline’s insurance company will probably contact any survivors or the victims’ families.  Again, victims’ families should strongly consider not accepting any offers or signing any documents before they consult with an attorney who is knowledgeable in commercial aviation cases. Accepting a settlement from the insurer will require individuals to waive their rights to further actions against the insurer or other parties that might share in the fault for the accident.

Protections Under the Law

After the tragic crash of a TWA airliner off Long Island, NY in 1996 that killed 230 people, Congress passed the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act.  This law requires that the families of airline accident victims be treated with care and respect.  Its protections to family members include, but are not limited to:

  • Family members should be given time to notify other relatives before passengers’ names are made public.
  • Crisis counseling for families must be offered by the airlines.
  • Hotel rooms and food must be made available to the surviving loved ones by the airlines.
  • Airlines must help family members retrieve dental records and X-rays to identify the victims.
  • Transportation to and from the crash site must be provided by the airlines.
  • Airlines should consult family members about a memorial.
  • A family assistance hotline must be made available by the airlines.

 

To protect your rights contact the Keith Williams Law Group!