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Traveling via airplane has many convenient benefits. For one, you can travel long distances in only a few hours, allowing you to visit loved ones and tourist attractions thousands of miles away.
However, air travel does pose some safety risks. There are several ways you can get injured on a plane or at the airport. If you experience an injury or the death of a loved one in an air travel environment, can you sue the airline for compensation?
The Federal Aviation Act
In 1958, as air travel became more technologically advanced and more accessible to everyday folks, Congress passed the Federal Aviation Act to regulate the increase in air traffic. This piece of legislation mandates that airlines provide a high standard of care to their passengers and do everything in their power to ensure passengers’ safety.
Do the words “standard of care” sound familiar to you? The medical field also has high standards of care for doctors and nurses who take care of ill or injured patients. Essentially, the law requires that airlines follow extensive precautions for passenger safety, just like doctors must abide by medical standards of care.
Where Did the Incident Occur?
Depending on the circumstances surrounding the injury or death, the potential defendant in your case may differ. If you slipped and fell in the airport bathroom before boarding, you may have a personal injury case against the airport, not the airline.
If you were directly harmed by an airline employee like a flight attendant, or if a pilot’s negligence caused the plane to crash, the airline could be liable for onboard injuries or deaths.
However, negligence isn’t always the ultimate cause of airplane crashes. If you experience a traumatic loss or injury in a plane crash, the outcome of the Federal Aviation Administration’s investigation could give you valuable information. For example, if a faulty airplane part contributed to the crash, that part’s manufacturer may be legally liable.
What You Can Do
If you are injured on a plane or lose a loved one in a crash, talk to an Idaho lawyer about potential next steps. Whether you decide to sue and whom you sue depends on a variety of factors that an FAA investigation may bring to light. A personal injury or wrongful death attorney can help you gather the necessary information to take legal action against the liable party or parties.
Recovering from a traumatic injury or the loss of a loved one in an airplane accident is difficult, but rest assured that you’re not alone. Rossman Law Group’s team of attorneys can help you sue an airline for compensation for injury or death if that airline is liable for the accident.
