Plane Crashes: Good News and Bad News

San Antonio, TXAlthough airplanes are considered one of the safest methods of transportation, especially for long-distance travel, there are still risks associated with the air travel. The good news is that planes are checked and double-checked for safety before they are cleared for take-off and there are many rules that regulate air travel, helping to keep it safe. Unfortunately, accidents still happen. Sometimes they are caused by mechanical failure, other times they are the result of human error. No matter what the cause, the consequences of a plane crash are devastating.

Some plane crash causes include equipment defects, weather conditions, human error, negligence and structural design flaws. One of the major causes of plane crashes involves aircraft icing, which occurs when miniscule particles of frost or ice accumulate on the wing of a plane. Even something as tiny as a particle of ice can have disastrous consequences for a plane. Many times, a plane crash involves violations of federal rules that govern the safety and maintenance of aircraft.

Victims of plane crashes, or their family members, may be able to file lawsuits under state laws, depending on who was responsible for the plane crash. Such lawsuits generally fall under product liability and wrongful death laws. Passengers can often sue for compensatory damages including recovery of medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.

Earlier this year two men who were injured in a plane crash were awarded $54 million in their lawsuit against the plane's manufacturer. The crash occurred when the carburetor in the plane failed due to a mechanical defect. The men made an emergency landing but suffered brain injuries that resulted in depression, anxiety and inability to concentrate. The jury found that the companies involved knew that there were problems with the screws and needle valves in the plain but did not warn either the FAA or the pilots about the problem.

Families of people who were killed in plane crashes can file wrongful death lawsuits against the companies involved. In July 2007, the widow of one of four men killed in a plane crash filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company that performed maintenance on the plane. The plaintiff has also named the plane's manufacturer and the manufacturer of the flight display in her $10 million lawsuit.

Lawsuits involving plane crashes that occur internationally can be filed in the United States. Earlier this year a federal lawsuit was filed in Florida after a July 17 airplane crash in Sao Paulo killed 199 people. The suit was filed on behalf of a Peruvian who worked for a Miami bank and died when the TAM Linhas Aereas plane skidded off a runway and into a building. According to the lawsuit, TAM, a Brazilian carrier, knew that the plane had mechanical problems but still allowed it to fly.

Airplanes are one of the safest ways to travel. However, when something goes wrong with an airplane, the consequences are often tragic and losses may result in higher costs than insurance can cover. Those who are injured in a plane crash, or who have had a loved one die in a plane crash, can turn to the courts to recover their costs.