Seattle Aviation Lawyers Representing Victims of Airplane Accidents

Airplane Injury Lawsuit Assistance From Washington State Airline Attorneys

Aviation Lawyers Provide Help for Those Harmed in Airplane Accidents

People depend on air transportation in huge numbers and for many reasons that include vacation travel, holiday travel and of course business travel. The number of people who place their trust and safety in the proper performance of air travel carriers is staggering. On average, more than 700 million passengers fly every year on 9 million flights both domestic and international in nature.

Therefore, when something goes wrong, the results are usually tragic or catastrophic. When someone has been harmed or worse in an aviation accident of any type, he or she needs the help of an experienced aviation injury lawyer. Below you’ll find information regarding the duties of those who fly us around the world, the types of aviation accidents that occur, common causes of airplane and helicopter accidents and finally how you should proceed if you or someone you love has been injured in a Washington airline accident.

The Duties of Airlines and Aviators in General

The basic duties owed to all passengers who fly are generally the same as those owed to anyone who drives a car on a public road. These duties include providing passengers with a reasonably safe flight. While this is general language, there are several specific duties that arise based on this general legal requirement.

For instance, airlines have a duty to protect passengers from harm that can arise from a mechanical failure of a plane at any point during a flight from the time passengers board to the time they walk off the plane. Airlines and other carriers also have a duty to protect passengers from others who may be attempting to put the airplane in danger by way of terrorist acts. Finally, air carriers also have a duty to navigate the plane or helicopter in a safe and reasonable manner that does not expose those passengers to unnecessary risks of accidents.

Common Types of Washington Aviation Accidents

In general, there are three types of aviation accidents that are more common than others. These types of aviation accidents include:

1. Commercial airline accidents


2. Private aircraft accidents


3. Helicopter crashes

Clearly, commercial airline accidents far outdistance the other two common types of accidents purely in terms of number of accidents, number of people injured and number of people killed, as this type of travel is much more prevalent than flying in private planes or in helicopters.

Specifically, in a recent avaiation accident study, the following statistics regarding all types of aviation accidents were compiled and recorded by the National Transportation Safety Board, or NTSB:

• Number of aviation accidents: 1,559


• Number of fatal accidents: 275


• Number of fatalities: 495


• Number of fatalities of those on-board a vessel: 486


• Flight hours: 21,931,000


• Accidents per 100,000 flight hours: 7.11


• Fatal aviation accidents per 100,000 flight hours: 1.25

These statistics are clearly problematic and should alert anyone that airplane accidents can occur at any time, in any place and for any number of reasons. It should also be noted that helicopter accidents occur at a rate that’s 40 percent higher per 100,000 flight hours when compared to fixed-wing aircraft.

Common Causes of Washington Aviation Accidents

As is the case with almost any type of legal claim, there are causes of aviation accidents that are more common than others. Examples of common causes of aviation accidents include:

• Defective products – Airplanes and helicopters are comprised of thousands of intricate parts, all of which need to work properly in order for those onboard a flight to be safe. If even one component fails to perform properly, it can result in an unforeseen disaster and provide pilots with little or no chance to rescue the vessel.

• Mechanical errors – Furthering the point regarding thousands of parts that need to work properly for a flight to be safe, a mistake by technicians thateither overlooks or improperly repairs even one component of a vessel can lead to a crash.

• Pilot error – Pilots are extremely well trained and highly skilled in general, but they are also in effect the drivers of vehicles on the sky’s roadways. One small error can lead to terrible consequences that include a collision with another vessel or flying through a weather pattern that puts the flight and everyone onboard in immediate danger.

• Improper screening – While terrorist acts always result in intense scrutiny from the media, they are statistically rare. However, when they do occur, the presence of terrorists on flights can be the result of improper screening.

Seattle Airplane Accident Lawyers Can Fight for Your Rights

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed as a result of an aviation accident, you need to take action. Contact the Seattle aviation accident lawyers at the law firm of Phillips Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation. Our firm has years of experience in fighting for the rights of those wrongfully injured in an airplane accident and can provide the answers and guidance you need.