Everyone’s worst nightmare when they get on a plane is being caught up in an aviation crash, with the potential to devastate countless lives. However, the odds of a plane crashing are one in 1.2 million, while dying in a plane crash sits at one in 11 million. This puts the risk of being involved in an aviation accident much lower than having a fatal car accident (one in 5000). However, accidents happen, and people survive, but what steps should you take next?
Seek Medical Care
The most important step to take immediately after surviving a plane accident is to seek medical care, and then you can start investigating the circumstances of the crash and claim compensation. When you have any medical treatment, it’s essential to maintain records, which you will likely need as evidence for any claims.
Claim Investigation
Shock is natural following any traumatic experience, but you need to begin investigating the aviation accident straight away. Even if you’re incapable of making inquiries, you should find a trusted loved one to take care of everything for you. Details you need to retrieve include:
- Passenger and potential witness lists
- Weather conditions
- Pilot and cabin crew’s actions during and after the crash
Getting hold of verbal or written evidence may not be enough, which is why we recommend getting your hands on physical evidence including:
- Statements from experts (pilots and traffic controllers)
- Black box transcripts
- Photographic evidence of any injuries and documented medical treatments
- Correspondence between insurers and the airline
- Relevant images of the plane and runway
Aviation lawsuits need to consider state, federal, and often international laws, which makes them extremely complicated to navigate. Therefore, we suggest you click here for an experienced airplane accident lawyer from Romanucci Blandin Law. Your lawyer will take the evidence you provide and build on it with their inquiries, and then they’ll make claims for the highest compensation you’re likely to receive.
Calculate Damages
Medical costs, both physical and psychological, are the most obvious impacts after a plane crash, but there’s much more to it than that. For example, you may be out of work and lose significant earnings, you may have to find a completely different job, or you may not be able to return. A reputable lawyer will take all of this into account and build a reasonable case for compensation.
Who Is Liable?
There are many moving parts in the aviation industry, which makes it difficult to pinpoint liability. You may assume the airline is responsible, but the leading cause of the crash may have been a manufacturing fault. Further, the federal government can be found responsible in certain cases of negligence.
Plane accidents are traumatic, and related compensation claims are complicated. Fortunately, once you’ve hired a competent lawyer and completed all of the tasks above, you will be in a position to claim compensation. Throughout the process, it’s important to stay positive and not be broken down by pressure from any party to drop the case.