Atlanta Aviation Accident Attorney for Airplane & Helicopter Crashes

ATLANTA AVIATION ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

Experienced Civil Injury Counsel for Victims of Airplane & Helicopter Crashes in Georgia

We generally think of planes as an extremely safe form of travel, with layers of security and quality control that keep us astoundingly safe. Unfortunately, these safety procedures do not guarantee our safety. There are times when someone in the process is negligent, leading to a catastrophe either on the ground or in the air.

What Are the Types of Aviation Accidents that Lead to Injury?

Airplane and helicopter crashes are relatively rare occurrences, but when they do occur, from a legal sense, there are two different types: civil aviation claims and military aviation claims.

Civil vs. Military Aviation Claims

Civil aviation claims generally involve commercial airliners, commuter airlines, corporate jets, personal aircraft, and helicopters. Military aviation claims involve aircraft of the armed forces.

Issues that Lead to Plane Crashes

When these incidents happen, it is often due to a number of factors. Factors that have been known to contribute to aviation accidents include:

  • Defective equipment.
  • Defective design.
  • Mechanical problems with the airplane.
  • Issues with the airplane’s fuel supply lines.
  • Errors made by the pilot.
  • Errors made by the air traffic controllers.
  • Errors made by the maintenance and repair personnel who work on the plane.

Proving Negligence & Causation in Georgia Aviation Crash Injury Cases

When it comes to determining liability for airplane crashes in Georgia, one potential legal theory to explore is that of Strict Liability. In its simplest terms, Georgia’s Strict Liability Laws can hold parties who perform abnormally dangerous activities (in this case, flying or maintaining an aircraft) responsible for any injuries or damage that occurs, even if they take reasonable care to prevent it.

In Georgia, abnormally dangerous activities that are subject to Strict Liability are defined as activities that are not commonly engaged in and carry a foreseeable risk of harm, even when they act reasonably.

Applying Strict Liability to Aviation Accidents

Arguing Strict Liability Laws in Georgia gets complicated in Plane Crash Cases, especially when considering just how many people are involved in getting a plane off the ground. While the pilot is an obvious party responsible for the safety of the passengers, your attorney may also look at:

  • Who owned the plane, if it was rented.
  • Previous mechanics, if there is an engine issue.
  • Workers responsible for fueling, if the fuel was the wrong “weight” for the day.

The use of strict liability also does not stop your attorney from pursuing a theory of negligence.

Applying Legal Negligence Theory to Plane Crashes

The other legal argument that can be made in Georgia plane crashes that result in injury claims is Negligence. In negligence tort claims, your attorney will have to demonstrate that someone with a duty and responsibility to you failed to do their part, resulting in your injuries.

Compensation and Damages Recoverable in Georgia Plane Crash Cases

A variety of serious injuries occur in aircraft crashes. You may need extensive medical care, or even long-term care after an accident. Fortunately, you may be able to recover some of those losses, including:

  • Medical expenses, including emergency care and ongoing treatments
  • Lost wages
  • Reduced or loss of earning capacity
  • Long term disability
  • Property damage
  • Pain and suffering, including emotional injuries
  • Diminished quality of life

Types of Injuries Suffered in Aviation Accidents

  • Broken Bones Case Icon
    Broken Bones

    Impact from aviation accidents can cause major bone fractures, resulting in extreme pain and expensive medical care. If the aviation accident that caused a bone fracture was the result of another’s negligence, it’s essential to obtain legal counsel.

    Read More

  • Back, Neck, and Disc Injuries Case Icon
    Back, Neck, and Disc Injuries

    Back, neck and disc injuries can lead to severe pain, limit the quality of life, and result in significant expenses. When such injuries are the fault of an aviation accident, you may be liable for compensation.

    Read More

  • Wrongful Death Case Icon
    Wrongful Death

    Unexpected deaths caused by aviation accidents take a massive toll on the victim’s friends and family, both emotionally and financially. If your family has suffered a wrongful death, then you are entitled to recover for the loss of value by the life of the deceased.

    Read More

  • Burn Injuries Case Icon
    Burn Injuries

    Aviation accidents can cause catastrophic burn injuries, including scarred skin or serious infection. Because of the severity of burn injuries caused by aviation accidents, we advise legal representation for financial recovery.

    Read More

  • Loss of Limb and Amputation Case Icon
    Loss of Limb and Amputation

    When an amputation results from an aviation accident, it may be possible for victims to successfully pursue financial compensation from the responsible party with the help of a personal injury attorney.

    Read More

  • Brain Injuries Case Icon
    Brain Injuries

    Death, lasting impairment and disability can occur from TBI caused by aviation accidents.  When such injuries are the fault of an aviation accident, you may have grounds for an injury claim and appropriate compensation.

    Read More

  • Spinal Cord Injury Case Icon
    Spinal Cord Injury

    Aviation accidents can lead to spinal cord injuries, including whiplash. If you suffer a spinal cord injury in an aviation accident caused by another’s negligence, it’s important to ensure your damages are accurately evaluated.

    Read More

  • Catastrophic Injuries Case Icon
    Catastrophic Injuries

    Victims of catastrophic injury due to aviation accidents may be liable to compensation. Catastrophic injury cases in Georgia should only be pursued with the help of an experienced injury lawyer.

    Read More

Types of Injuries Suffered in Aviation Accidents

  • Broken Bones Case Icon
    Broken Bones

    Impact from aviation accidents can cause major bone fractures, resulting in extreme pain and expensive medical care. If the aviation accident that caused a bone fracture was the result of another’s negligence, it’s essential to obtain legal counsel.

    Read More

  • Back, Neck, and Disc Injuries Case Icon
    Back, Neck, and Disc Injuries

    Back, neck and disc injuries can lead to severe pain, limit the quality of life, and result in significant expenses. When such injuries are the fault of an aviation accident, you may be liable for compensation.

    Read More

  • Wrongful Death Case Icon
    Wrongful Death

    Unexpected deaths caused by aviation accidents take a massive toll on the victim’s friends and family, both emotionally and financially. If your family has suffered a wrongful death, then you are entitled to recover for the loss of value by the life of the deceased.

    Read More

  • Burn Injuries Case Icon
    Burn Injuries

    Aviation accidents can cause catastrophic burn injuries, including scarred skin or serious infection. Because of the severity of burn injuries caused by aviation accidents, we advise legal representation for financial recovery.

    Read More

  • Loss of Limb and Amputation Case Icon
    Loss of Limb and Amputation

    When an amputation results from an aviation accident, it may be possible for victims to successfully pursue financial compensation from the responsible party with the help of a personal injury attorney.

    Read More

  • Brain Injuries Case Icon
    Brain Injuries

    Death, lasting impairment and disability can occur from TBI caused by aviation accidents.  When such injuries are the fault of an aviation accident, you may have grounds for an injury claim and appropriate compensation.

    Read More

  • Spinal Cord Injury Case Icon
    Spinal Cord Injury

    Aviation accidents can lead to spinal cord injuries, including whiplash. If you suffer a spinal cord injury in an aviation accident caused by another’s negligence, it’s important to ensure your damages are accurately evaluated.

    Read More

  • Catastrophic Injuries Case Icon
    Catastrophic Injuries

    Victims of catastrophic injury due to aviation accidents may be liable to compensation. Catastrophic injury cases in Georgia should only be pursued with the help of an experienced injury lawyer.

    Read More

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Georgia Aviation Crash Legal FAQs

What Causes Airplane Crashes and Aviation Accidents?

Airplane crashes and aviation accidents are relatively rare occurrences, but when they do occur, it is often due to a number of factors colliding to form a perfect storm of disaster. Factors that have been known to contribute to aviation accidents include:

  • Defective equipment.
  • Defective design.
  • Mechanical problems with the airplane.
  • Issues with the airplane’s fuel supply lines.
  • Errors made by the pilot.
  • Errors made by the air traffic controllers.
  • Errors made by the maintenance and repair. personnel who work on the plane.

Are Aviation Accident Cases Complex?

Oftentimes, aviation cases involve both state and federal law. An aviation accident lawyer will be well-versed in the laws that apply to airplane cases, including relevant federal treaties, federal regulations concerning aviation, and the laws regarding a wrongful death claim. In some circumstances, international law might also play a role in an airplane catastrophe case.

What Areas of Law Can Airplane Cases Invoke?

Airline cases can invoke several different areas of law, depending on how the catastrophe happened and other specific details of the occurrence. For instance, in order to seek recovery after an airplane wreck, your lawyer may need to have a thorough knowledge of products liability law if the issue was caused by a defective part of the airplane.

If the airplane accident was caused by pilot error or an error made by a federal air traffic controller, your lawyer must be knowledgeable concerning federal aviation regulations. In certain situations, it may be necessary to sue the federal government in order for you to make a recovery after your loved one has been killed in an airplane crash.

Ultimately, it is best not to enter into this field without an experienced and dedicated attorney, one well-versed in aviation accidents and invested in the legal intricacies of your case. Consult with us at Apolinsky & Associates, LLC, our attorneys are ready to take on your case.

What Is The Statute Of Limitations For Georgia Aviation Accident Lawsuits?

Essentially, the statute of limitations means the amount of time that you have from when the aviation accident causing the catastrophic injury or wrongful death occurs until the time you must file a lawsuit. Your case does not have to conclude by the end of the statute, it just has to be filed before.

Under GA Code § 9-3-33, the statute of limitations holds that injured parties in Georgia have just two years to bring personal injury claims for aviation accidents forward. After those two years, a court will dismiss your claim. It is important to remember that oftentimes, insurance companies will engage in stalling techniques to run out the clock and avoid paying you anything.

There are a number of complex factors that go into the statute of limitations in any individual case, especially an aviation accident case. To pursue a civil claim, victims are advised to contact a personal injury lawyer experienced in aviation accident personal injury cases.