Louisiana Air Ambulance Crash Attorneys

Air ambulances are a type of specially designed emergency transport aircraft used during rescue operations when driving by road is either not an option or poses a greater risk to the victim(s). 

These types of medical transport planes have the ability to fly faster than cars and are considered a safer kind of transportation in some cases. However, a malfunction or improper operation of one can lead to catastrophic injuries or even wrongful death for the victim and medical workers aboard.

If you’ve unfortunately been involved in this type of accident, an aviation accident lawyer at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys can help you gain the compensation you or a loved one deserves. Our firm is known to conduct thorough investigations and successfully navigate the complexities of aviation accident cases, including all types of air ambulance crashes.

Statistic For Air Ambulance Crashes

Even the most experienced pilots find it difficult to fly in life-threatening situations, but when an air ambulance tasked with saving our lives crashes, it becomes an even more terrifying experience.

Data from the National Transportation Safety Board has stated that between the years 1998 through 2015, there were 81 fatal medical helicopter accidents with 217 deaths reported. In addition to that, the year 2008 was the most catastrophic, with 28 deaths alone. Furthermore, in a presentation conducted by the NTSB in 2009, they found that between the years 1998 through 2008, 49% of air ambulance accidents occurred at night. 

What Can Cause an Air Ambulance Crash?

Air ambulance helicopters have one of the worst aviation records, with several crashes resulting in fatalities and serious injuries. According to reports, the number of fatalities associated with a helicopter or air ambulance crashes outnumbers those associated with professions such as deep-sea fishing. A variety of factors can contribute to air ambulance accidents, including:

• Pilot Error – when the pilot makes a landing or takeoff calculation error or fails to act in a way consistent with or required by his or her profession.
• Inspection or Maintenance Error – when the crew or maintenance department fails to take appropriate precautions to ensure that the helicopter is safe for takeoff.
• Manufacturer Defect – if the manufacturer fails to implement or use a more feasible design that could have avoided the accident.
• Weather Conditions – certain weather can impair the pilot’s ability to make a proper transport or pickup.

Keep in mind that as a passenger, you’re considered to be a negligent free passenger. In other words, a passenger who is being transported via ambulance is not responsible for any injury which occurs during that transport. In fact, ambulance carriers are required to make sure that they’re driven safely to the nearest ER.

Common Air Ambulance Accident Injuries

Those who require air ambulance transportation have already been seriously injured. Any air ambulance accident, no matter how minor, has the potential to worsen existing injuries. In addition to making existing injuries worse, helicopter accidents could also potentially lead to the following:

• Head injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Severe burns
• Severed limbs
• Spinal cord injuries
• Nerve and ligament injuries

How to File a Wrongful Death Claim Overview

The injuries above, without a doubt, can lead to wrongful death, especially for people who are already in severe condition and require airlifting to a hospital. 

If you know someone that’s been involved in an air ambulance crash, you should be sure to take the following steps:

First, it’s crucial to understand that only a select few individuals in Louisiana are eligible to submit wrongful death claims. The survivors of the following victims are qualified to 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
• Just so you know, all of the abovementioned relations also include those by adoption.

Next, due to Louisiana’s strict statute of limitations on bringing a wrongful death claim to court, you must submit your claim within a year of the accident that caused the death.

Last: Call a Louisiana Wrongful Death Lawyer from Gordon Mckernan Injury Attorneys who can take on your claim and give you legal advice on what to do pushing forward.

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.

Air Ambulance Crash Liability

Air ambulances, often known as medi-vacs, are a life-saving option for many people who require rapid transfer; yet the service can sometimes result in significant injuries for both the victims and the crew. The air ambulance team without a doubt has a duty to safely transport their patients to hospitals to ensure they get the treatment they need. 

This includes making sure their pilots and medical professionals on board have the proper credentials and training. However, even if the air ambulance team does everything correctly, crashes can still unfortunately occur. 

Call our Personal Injury Lawyers if You’ve Been in an Air Ambulance Crash Today

If you’ve been involved in an air ambulance accident, a proper evaluation is needed in order to determine which party is at fault for the injuries or death suffered. 

At Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, it’s our top priority as your air ambulance lawyers to determine what caused your accident. On top of that, you can be confident that we will thoroughly investigate your case to determine who is at fault and who should be held accountable. Get in touch with us as soon as possible by calling 888.501.7888. We have 679+ years of combined legal experience representing Louisiana victims of air ambulance injuries in court, and we want to help you too. As a matter of fact, if we don’t win, you won’t owe us a dime—that’s the .