Charter Plane Accident Attorney

A commercial aircraft is what most people envision when they think of flying, but what is a charter plane? This type of aircraft consists of a privately booked flight organized by a specific person or group of people through a tour company or business. Furthermore, there are some charter planes exempt from rules followed at commercial airlines, such as qualified hours for pilots, training, and maintenance practices.

For this reason, there’s automatically a higher likelihood that a charter plane accident will occur and that legal representation will need to be present. The need for a charter plane accident attorney is due to the complex nature of these types of accidents, as opposed to general “aviation accidents”.

For instance, they require in-depth investigations that include assessing company records, written policies, and practices to identify the true causes of an accident. 

Are Charter Planes Safe?

You may be wanting to know more in-depth about just how safe charter planes are. The good news is that, despite the fact that some are exempt from certain safety precautions, charter planes still represent one of the safest forms of non-airline flying. That’s because most charter operators are known to employ professional and experienced crews, and the Federal Aviation Administration has always overseen passenger-paying flights more strictly than private operations.

Thanks largely to the FAA’s Part 135 rule, only three of the 35 fatal accidents involving U.S. business jets between 2010 and 2020 involved charter flights, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Those charter accidents claimed the lives of 18 crew and passengers, with a single 2015 accident accounting for nine of the fatalities.

What are the Most Common Causes of Plane Crashes

Charter plane accidents can sadly turn into catastrophic injuries or wrongful death. And because of this, a person’s life can without a doubt be flipped upside down. In fact, some common causes of plane crashes include:

• Pilot error
• Negligent Maintenance
• Air traffic controller error
• Manufacturing defects

Small charter plane injuries can range, some include:

• Severe Burns
• Dismemberment, like losing one or more limbs
• Spinal cord injuries 
• Internal injuries to organs or other deep tissue
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)

Serious injuries can have long-term effects on the injured person and his or her family and can even result in wrongful death. If you or someone you love suffered a serious injury in a charter plane crash, you may be eligible to seek compensation to help pay for medical bills and other challenges you may have to deal with.

How to File a Private Plane Wrongful Death Lawsuit

It can be very hard and overwhelming to cope with the loss of a loved one, even more, when it involves negligence. The stress and sadness that naturally follows these kinds of situations leave the victim’s family in shock. You should do the following actions in order to bring a wrongful death claim in Louisiana but make sure to note: All of the below relations also include those relations by adoption.\

#1: Always keep in mind that wrongful death claims can only be filed by a restricted number of people. The following victims’ survivors below can file:

• The surviving spouse and/or children of the deceased or
• If both spouse and children are dead, the surviving parents of the deceased or
• If the spouse, children, and parents are dead, the surviving siblings of the deceased or
• If the spouse, children, parents, and siblings are deceased, the surviving grandparents of the deceased

#2: Make sure you start the process of your claim shortly after the wrongful death accident since Louisiana has a strict statute of limitations when it comes to bringing a wrongful death claim to court.

#3: Get in touch as soon as possible with a Louisiana Wrongful Death Lawyer from Gordon Mckernan Injury Attorneys so we can look over your claim and give you legal advice on what to do next.

Statute of Limitation Changes in Louisiana

In 2024, Louisiana law extended the statute of limitations for personal injury claims occurring on or after July 1, 2024, from one year to two years. Any injuries that occurred before July 1, 2024, will still have a 1-year statute of limitation. Learn more about Louisiana’s New Statute of Limitations here.

• 1 year for injuries sustained before July 1, 2024.
• 2 years for injuries suffered after July 1, 2024.

The statute of limitations is a legal deadline that sets a time frame for filing a lawsuit. In Louisiana, this is known as the “prescriptive period,” which determines how long you have to take legal action against the responsible party after an injury occurs.

Charter Plane Crash Settlement Amounts

Victims of a charter plane crash have the right to file a claim for financial damages against the at-fault party or parties. By filing a personal injury claim for an aviation accident such as a charter plane crash, there’s a chance you can get reimbursed for:

• Lost wages
• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Wrongful death
• Loss of future earning potential

A plane crash can be very complex, as was earlier noted. Plus, more than one defendant and at-fault parties are usually involved in a single aviation accident. The trusted team of airplane accident attorneys at our firm can discover the best way to go when it comes to your case. 

Charter Plane Attorneys with Knowledge and Experience

If you or someone you love has unfortunately been injured or killed in a charter plane accident, you should get in touch with a charter plane accident attorney sooner than later. By doing so, there is a high possibility you may be able to gain compensation for your pain and suffering, doctor bills, and lost wages due to an inability to work.

To schedule a free consultation at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, you can call us at 225.888.888. Our charter plane accident attorneys have experience in these types of crashes and are ready to help you gain some peace and clarity!