Reasons for Helicopter Crashes
cartwrightlaw - March 21, 2022 -
Helicopters are an essential component of air transportation. The choppers are used in both the private and government sectors, and they are more critically used in military operations, transporting victims of road accidents to hospitals where time to get there can mean a difference between life and death. As essential as these choppers are, they are also prone to accidents. If the chopper crashes, victims and their loved ones have a right to seek and be compensated for the costs associated with the accident, such as medical bills, lost wages or income, and wrongful death.
Always seek help from an injury legal team at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. following this type of disastrous accident.
Common Reasons for Helicopter Crashes
- Pilot Error. The safe operation of a helicopter requires a well-trained pilot. Unfortunately, however, even well-trained pilots routinely commit errors that lead to crashes. Errors can simply be poor judgment or because the pilot simply fails to recognize a potential hazard. Poor judgment can be a momentary loss of concentration, or it can also be due to impaired judgment caused by alcohol or drug use before or even during the flying time. Pilot error can also be caused by fatigue or distraction by activities such as using electronic devices not related to flying.
- Manufacturer Defects. Federal and state laws require manufacturers to make helicopters which are safe for the intended use. The helicopter must be designed and manufactured in a manner that ensures the helicopter will be safe for its projected life. Unfortunately, however, some helicopters are manufactured in a manner that is not consistent with these laws leading to crashes. If a helicopter crashes because of bad design or manufacturing, the manufacturer can be held liable for a products liability claim.
- Component Failure. While manufacturers are held to a strict manufacturing code and protocols, those who buy and operate a helicopter are also required by law to have the helicopter regularly maintained. A helicopter designed and manufactured without any defects requires all components of the helicopter to be well maintained. All these components work together, and failure of any one of them will cause the helicopter not to operate as it is supposed to, and the result is often a crash. Each component must therefore be regularly checked, and others require proper inspection before each flight to ensure nothing is amiss. If this is not done, this is a crash waiting to happen.
- Poor Maintenance. The maintenance and repair of a helicopter require special skills and are not cheap. If the owner cuts corners and has the helicopter maintained or repaired at less than the required skill and cost, then that is just as awful and disastrous as not having any maintenance or repair done at all. When a helicopter crashes, causing injuries or death, an experienced helicopter crash attorney can investigate to determine who is at fault, and part of that investigation will be obtaining and analyzing maintenance and repair records of the helicopter that crashed. If it is determined that the helicopter was not regularly maintained or it was poorly maintained, then the attorney will help a victim of its crash in obtaining compensation from the owner for their injuries.
Consult with a San Francisco Helicopter Crash Attorney
These are just some of the reasons helicopters crash. If you or a loved one has been injured in a helicopter crash, contact the office of The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. today for a free case review.
Helicopters are an essential component of air transportation. The choppers are used in both the private and government sectors, and they are more critically used in military operations, transporting victims of road accidents to hospitals where time to get there can mean a difference between life and death. As essential as these choppers are, they are also prone to accidents. If the chopper crashes, victims and their loved ones have a right to seek and be compensated for the costs associated with the accident, such as medical bills, lost wages or income, and wrongful death.
Always seek help from an injury legal team at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. following this type of disastrous accident.
Common Reasons for Helicopter Crashes
- Pilot Error. The safe operation of a helicopter requires a well-trained pilot. Unfortunately, however, even well-trained pilots routinely commit errors that lead to crashes. Errors can simply be poor judgment or because the pilot simply fails to recognize a potential hazard. Poor judgment can be a momentary loss of concentration, or it can also be due to impaired judgment caused by alcohol or drug use before or even during the flying time. Pilot error can also be caused by fatigue or distraction by activities such as using electronic devices not related to flying.
- Manufacturer Defects. Federal and state laws require manufacturers to make helicopters which are safe for the intended use. The helicopter must be designed and manufactured in a manner that ensures the helicopter will be safe for its projected life. Unfortunately, however, some helicopters are manufactured in a manner that is not consistent with these laws leading to crashes. If a helicopter crashes because of bad design or manufacturing, the manufacturer can be held liable for a products liability claim.
- Component Failure. While manufacturers are held to a strict manufacturing code and protocols, those who buy and operate a helicopter are also required by law to have the helicopter regularly maintained. A helicopter designed and manufactured without any defects requires all components of the helicopter to be well maintained. All these components work together, and failure of any one of them will cause the helicopter not to operate as it is supposed to, and the result is often a crash. Each component must therefore be regularly checked, and others require proper inspection before each flight to ensure nothing is amiss. If this is not done, this is a crash waiting to happen.
- Poor Maintenance. The maintenance and repair of a helicopter require special skills and are not cheap. If the owner cuts corners and has the helicopter maintained or repaired at less than the required skill and cost, then that is just as awful and disastrous as not having any maintenance or repair done at all. When a helicopter crashes, causing injuries or death, an experienced helicopter crash attorney can investigate to determine who is at fault, and part of that investigation will be obtaining and analyzing maintenance and repair records of the helicopter that crashed. If it is determined that the helicopter was not regularly maintained or it was poorly maintained, then the attorney will help a victim of its crash in obtaining compensation from the owner for their injuries.
Consult with a San Francisco Helicopter Crash Attorney
These are just some of the reasons helicopters crash. If you or a loved one has been injured in a helicopter crash, contact the office of The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. today for a free case review.
“Our successful case results are a reflection of the values and virtues we believe in and uphold at Cartwright Law Firm. Nothing stops us from pursuing justice on behalf of those who need it.
Robert E. Cartwright Jr.
Founder and Managing Partner