Airline Accidents

Frequently Asked Questions About Airline and Aviation Accidents in Alabama

What types of aviation accident cases does Ferguson & Ferguson handle?

Ferguson & Ferguson handles aviation injury and wrongful-death matters involving commercial airlines, private aircraft, helicopters, charter flights, sightseeing air tours, air-medical flights, military aircraft, and other aviation incidents.

What causes airplane accidents?

Potential causes include pilot error, crew error, airline negligence, defective components, design defects, inadequate maintenance, engine failure, electrical failure, fueling errors, weather, runway incidents, wake turbulence, and air-traffic-control negligence.

Can pilot error lead to an aviation accident claim?

Yes. Pilot negligence or error may support a claim when it contributes to a crash or other aviation injury and the legal requirements for liability are met.

Can airline negligence cause an aviation accident?

Yes. Airlines may face liability for negligent operations, training, supervision, maintenance, scheduling, safety practices, or other wrongful conduct depending on the facts.

Can defective aircraft parts lead to a lawsuit?

Yes. Component failures and defective aircraft design or manufacture may support product-liability claims against manufacturers, suppliers, or other responsible parties.

Can improper aircraft maintenance lead to liability?

Yes. Inadequate inspection, repair, servicing, or maintenance can be an important cause of aviation accidents and may create liability for the responsible maintenance provider or operator.

Can negligent fueling cause an airplane accident?

Yes. Contaminated fuel, incorrect fueling procedures, fuel-system problems, or negligent fueling operations can contribute to serious aviation accidents.

Can weather cause an aviation accident?

Dangerous weather can contribute to aviation accidents, but investigators may also examine whether the flight crew, airline, dispatcher, or other parties made appropriate decisions in light of known conditions.

Can air-traffic-control negligence cause an aviation accident?

Potentially. Air-traffic-control errors involving separation, routing, clearances, runway operations, or other safety responsibilities may be relevant in some aviation cases.

Can passengers injured on a private plane bring a claim?

Potentially. Liability may involve the pilot, aircraft owner, operator, maintenance provider, manufacturer, airport, or other responsible parties depending on the cause.

Does Ferguson & Ferguson handle helicopter accident cases?

Yes. The airline-accident page specifically lists helicopter accidents among the aviation matters the firm investigates and litigates.

Does Ferguson & Ferguson handle charter-plane accidents?

Yes. Charter-plane accident cases are specifically identified among the firm’s aviation practice areas.

Does Ferguson & Ferguson handle sightseeing or air-tour accidents?

Yes. The firm lists sightseeing air-tour accidents among the types of aviation cases it handles.

Does Ferguson & Ferguson handle air-medical accidents?

Yes. Air-medical and medical-flight accidents are among the aviation matters identified on the page.

Does Ferguson & Ferguson handle military aircraft accident cases?

The page states that the firm has represented families in military aviation accidents and lists military aircraft among its aviation practice areas. Federal law can create special procedural and immunity issues in these cases.

Can an aviation accident case involve wrongful death?

Yes. Because aviation accidents can be catastrophic, wrongful-death claims are common when passengers, crew members, or others are killed.

Who may be liable for an airplane crash?

Potential defendants may include an airline, aircraft operator, pilot, maintenance company, component manufacturer, aircraft manufacturer, airport operator, fueling contractor, charter company, or other responsible entity.

Can more than one company be responsible for an aviation accident?

Yes. Aviation cases often involve multiple potentially responsible parties, and identifying each source of liability can require extensive technical and financial investigation.

How are aviation accidents investigated?

Investigation may involve aircraft wreckage, maintenance logs, pilot records, weather data, communications, flight plans, air-traffic-control records, flight-data recorders, cockpit-voice recorders, witness statements, and expert analysis.

What is a black box?

The term black box commonly refers to flight-data recorders and cockpit-voice recorders used on many commercial aircraft to preserve information about the flight and cockpit communications.

Do all airplanes have black boxes?

No. Many smaller general-aviation aircraft do not carry the same flight-data or cockpit-voice recording equipment used on large commercial aircraft.

Why is early investigation important after an airplane accident?

Aviation cases can involve perishable evidence, complex wreckage, rapidly developing federal investigations, multiple insurers, and sophisticated corporate defendants. Early preservation of records and expert involvement can be critical.

What agencies may investigate an aviation accident?

Depending on the event, federal agencies such as the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration may be involved, along with local authorities and other agencies.

Does an NTSB investigation decide who is legally liable?

No. Government investigations can provide important factual and safety information, but civil liability is determined under the applicable law and evidence in the legal case.

Can aviation cases involve federal law?

Yes. Aviation accidents can involve federal aviation statutes, regulations, preemption issues, federal agencies, and specialized procedural rules.

Can international airline accidents involve treaties?

Yes. International air-travel claims may be governed in part by international treaties and conventions, depending on the route, carrier, ticket, and circumstances.

What is the Montreal Convention?

The Montreal Convention is an international treaty that governs certain claims involving international carriage by air. Whether it applies depends on the itinerary and facts of the case.

Can an aviation accident case involve product liability?

Yes. Claims may arise from defective aircraft design, manufacturing defects, faulty components, inadequate warnings, or other product-related failures.

Can airline training failures lead to liability?

Potentially. Inadequate pilot, crew, maintenance, or operational training may be relevant when it contributes to an accident.

What damages may be available in an aviation personal injury case?

Depending on the claim and governing law, recoverable damages may include medical expenses, lost income, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, and other legally recoverable losses.

What damages may be available in an Alabama aviation wrongful-death case?

Alabama wrongful-death law is unusual because damages are generally punitive rather than traditional compensatory damages. Federal law, treaties, or another jurisdiction’s law may affect some aviation cases.

How long do I have to file an aviation accident claim?

Deadlines vary widely. State statutes of limitation, federal rules, governmental notice requirements, and international treaties can impose different deadlines, so aviation claims should be reviewed promptly.

Are airline accident cases more complicated than ordinary accident claims?

Often, yes. Aviation cases can involve technical engineering evidence, federal regulations, multiple defendants, international treaties, specialized insurance, and complex jurisdictional questions.

Do I need an aviation expert?

Many serious aviation cases require experts in areas such as piloting, aircraft maintenance, engineering, accident reconstruction, meteorology, human factors, or aircraft systems.

Can family members of aviation victims bring claims?

Potentially. Wrongful-death and survival rights depend on the governing law, the relationship to the decedent, and the proper legal representative.

Can crew members bring aviation injury claims?

Potentially. Crew-member claims may involve different federal statutes, workers’ compensation systems, employer-liability rules, or other legal frameworks depending on the employment and flight.

Can a case be brought after a runway accident?

Potentially. Runway collisions, incursions, excursions, ground crashes, or negligent ground operations can create claims against airlines, airports, air-traffic controllers, operators, or other parties.

Can wake turbulence cause an accident?

Yes. Wake turbulence from another aircraft can be dangerous, and liability may depend on air-traffic-control instructions, pilot actions, separation standards, and other factors.

Can engine failure lead to a lawsuit?

Yes. Engine failure may involve maintenance negligence, manufacturing defects, component failure, inspection issues, fuel problems, or operational error.

What records should be preserved after an aviation accident?

Relevant records may include tickets, itineraries, photographs, videos, medical records, communications, receipts, insurance information, witness details, and any documents related to the flight.

Should I speak with the airline’s insurer after an accident?

You may need to provide basic information, but aviation insurers and carriers may seek statements or releases early. Legal advice can help protect your rights before making detailed statements or accepting a settlement.

Does Ferguson & Ferguson offer free aviation accident consultations?

Yes. The airline-accident page states that the firm offers no-obligation free consultations to aviation accident victims and their families.

Does Ferguson & Ferguson handle aviation cases on a contingency fee?

Yes. The page states that aviation accident cases are accepted on a contingent-fee basis, meaning attorney fees are recovered only if compensation is collected through settlement or trial.

Can Ferguson & Ferguson meet an aviation victim at home or in the hospital?

Yes. The page states that home and hospital visits are available when a client cannot come to the Huntsville or Decatur office.

What Alabama areas does Ferguson & Ferguson serve for aviation claims?

The airline-accident page states that the firm serves Madison, Morgan, Lawrence, Limestone Counties and surrounding areas, and also states that its personal injury attorneys serve every city and county in Alabama.

Where is Ferguson & Ferguson’s Huntsville office?

The Huntsville office is located at 303 Williams Avenue SW, Suite 321, Huntsville, Alabama 35801.

Where is Ferguson & Ferguson’s Decatur office?

The Decatur office is located at 211 Oak Street NE, Decatur, Alabama 35601.

What is Ferguson & Ferguson’s Huntsville aviation accident phone number?

The Huntsville office can be reached at 256-534-3435.

What is Ferguson & Ferguson’s Decatur aviation accident phone number?

The Decatur office can be reached at 256-350-7200.

Who at Ferguson & Ferguson handles aviation accident matters?

The airline-accident page specifically identifies attorney Randy W. Ferguson in connection with aviation accident representation and states that the firm has represented aviation victims and families for more than twenty years.

This information is provided for general educational purposes and is not legal advice. Aviation claims can involve Alabama law, federal law, international treaties, specialized aviation regulations, and case-specific deadlines.