When a plane collides with another aircraft or an object on the runway, the results can be disastrous. Airport runway accidents may not be common, but they are some of the deadliest aviation accidents in history. If you suffered an injury or a loved one died in an airport runway accident in California, contact the aviation accident attorneys at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP for a free case consultation. You may be entitled to financial compensation.
Why Choose Our Aviation Accident Law Firm?
- Our law firm has a 99 percent case success rate. In the last five years, our aviation accident attorneys have collected more than $800 million in settlements and verdicts.
- We have a reputation for achieving outstanding jury verdicts. Our legal team is not afraid to take airport runway accident cases to court in the pursuit of justice when necessary.
- We operate on a contingency fee basis for all aviation accident claims, meaning you will pay us $0 in attorney’s fees unless we win your case.
How an Attorney Can Help
Negotiating or litigating an airport runway accident claim can be difficult without the assistance of a highly experienced attorney. These cases often involve complicated questions of liability, such as whether a pilot or airport is liable (legally and financially responsible) for the crash. Your lawyer can conduct a comprehensive investigation of the aviation accident, determine fault, collect evidence, and take over complex legal processes for you while you focus on healing.
Types of Airport Runway Accidents
A runway incursion accident is when an unauthorized individual, vehicle, or aircraft enters a runway without clearance. A runway excursion is an aircraft veering off the runway during takeoff or landing, such as a pilot overshooting the end of a runway. A runway collision – the deadliest type of airport runway accident – is a crash that occurs between two planes or an aircraft and an object or vehicle.
What Causes Airport Runway Accidents?
Airport runway collisions are generally preventable incidents – not accidents. They can be avoided if all involved parties fulfill their responsibilities, including the airport, air traffic controllers, ground crews, aircraft manufacturers and pilots. Common causes of these incidents include:
- Air traffic controller error. Air traffic controllers are tasked with coordinating the movement of aircraft to ensure a safe distance is always maintained between them. They must use their training and judgment to safely direct flights. A single careless mistake could lead to a runway collision.
- Distracted or negligent pilots. Aircraft pilot error, such as operating a plane while distracted, drowsy or intoxicated, can result in a runway accident. Other operational errors include failing to follow air traffic controller instructions, ignoring pilot training, failing to properly plan for the flight and poor decision-making.
- Bad weather. Poor visibility conditions, such as foggy weather, can contribute to airport runway accidents. This was the case in the deadliest aviation accident in history: a runway collision involving two commercial planes that killed 583 people. Proper communication between the pilots and control centers can help navigate dangerous weather events.
Other potential causes include aircraft defects, part malfunctions, transmitter issues, ground crew directional mistakes, an airport’s failure to secure the runway, wildlife strikes, and poor runway conditions. If one or more parties are at fault for causing an airport runway accident, that party can be held liable for all victims’ damages.
Contact an Experienced Aviation Accident Attorney
Filing a claim for an airport runway accident in California could allow you to hold someone accountable. You could recover financial compensation for your related medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more to help you and your family move forward.
To learn more about your specific case, contact the aviation accident attorneys at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP for a free consultation. We care about our clients and will work tirelessly to help you recover from an airport runway accident. Call (877) 800-1700 or contact us online today.