Human Error During an Aviation Accident
Aviation accidents are often fatal or cause serious, life-changing injuries. While these accidents are rare, they still happen far more than they should. When they occur, it’s important to understand the cause of the accident so you can determine if there’s anyone you can hold accountable for losses.
Slack Davis has over 30 years of experience representing clients in aviation accidents in Texas and throughout the world. This is a complex and technical area of law, and our firm has been at the forefront, fighting for victims of helicopter crashes, air tour and sightseeing accidents, commercial airline crashes, and accidents involving small planes or air ambulances.
We’ll put our legal experience to work helping you understand how the incident happened, whether human error played a role, and who you can hold accountable for harm. Give our dedicated Texas aviation accident lawyers a call today to schedule your free consultation and learn more about how we can help you.
When Does Human Error Play a Role in an Aviation Accident?
While technology has advanced and flying has become more automated, humans still play a critical role in making sure that air travel is safe. Unfortunately, mistakes can lead to devastating outcomes in this high-stakes industry.
Some common examples of how human error could cause an aviation accident to occur include:
- Pilot or flight crew mistakes: Flying while fatigued, operating the aircraft while impaired, receiving inadequate training, communicating poorly with other crew members, misinterpreting automated aviation systems, or simple carelessness can all lead to pilot and crew error.
- Air traffic control mistakes: Air traffic controllers are responsible for monitoring every aspect of a plane’s flight from takeoff to landing to ensure that the plane gets safely to its destination. Unfortunately, air traffic understaffing, fatigue, improper training, giving the wrong instructions to pilots, and poor coordination are all examples of common errors made by air traffic controllers.
- Maintenance crew issues: Those responsible for maintaining an aircraft could also make mistakes leading to an aviation accident, including missing obvious maintenance issues, failing to perform maintenance tasks correctly, using the wrong equipment or materials, or not following maintenance protocols. Carelessness, fatigue, drug or alcohol impairment, and inadequate training can increase the risk of errors.
- Aircraft manufacturer errors: Manufacturers could make errors in the design or construction of an aircraft or its parts, increasing the risk of an accident occurring
In these and other situations, you can take action against a negligent company, against a person who made an error, or sometimes against their employer. You will, however, need to prove that the defendant you’re making a claim against failed to fulfill a duty or a legal obligation. You’ll also need to show that you or someone you love was involved in an aviation accident as a result.
How Can an Aviation Accident Attorney Help You?
A human error aviation accident attorney at Slack Davis can help you investigate the crash, identify all of the potential defendants who may be at fault, and prove how the incident occurred.
Our firm has been fighting for the victims of aviation accidents for decades, and we know how to investigate and pursue claims. We’ll subpoena evidence such as onboard recorders, maintenance logs, and transcripts of air-traffic controller instructions. We’ll also assist you in proving the extent of your losses to maximize the chances of full and fair compensation.
To find out more about how our aviation accident lawyers can help you, give us a call at (800) 455-8686 or contact us online today.