Helicopter Crash Attorney in Louisiana

Although helicopters are typically known for their safety, a crash involving this type of aircraft can still happen. Whether due to weather problems, design malfunction, defective parts, or pilot negligence, this type of aviation accident can result in catastrophic injury and even wrongful death.

If you were injured, or know someone who was killed, in a helicopter crash in Louisiana, legal help should definitely be considered. While nothing can completely erase the memory of your crash, with help from an experienced helicopter accident attorney, you can at least up your chances of being compensated.

Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys has many years of experience in personal injury law, so you can trust that our helicopter crash attorneys have the experience and knowledge to successfully get you on the road to recovery. Call us today for a free consultation at 225.888.888.

Helicopter Crashes are Often Caused By:

Helicopters are complex aircraft, with many component parts and systems that are often manufactured and designed by different companies, and a number of factors can contribute to a helicopter crash, including:

• Human error 
• Electrical malfunction
• Poor aviation design
• Mechanical malfunction
• Contaminated fuel systems
• Deficient maintenance

Understanding the Effects of Helicopter Crashes on People’s Lives

As mentioned in the beginning, helicopters are known to be a safe transportation option. However, accidents revolving around this particular aircraft do still happen and the results can be brutal. To help you better understand, consider the following statistics below. 

• The fatal accident rate for all helicopters in the US was 0.72 per 100,000 flight hours in 2018, according to the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team. 

In contrast, the fatal accident rate for general aviation (a term for non-commercial or smaller private planes), was 1.029 accidents per 100,000 flight hours in 2018, the most recent year for which NTSB data is available.

Helicopter Crash Wrongful Death: What You Should Know

According to Louisiana Civil Code 2315.2, following a wrongful death, one of the following family members can file suit to recover damages:

*Make sure to note: All of the below relations also include those relations by adoption.

• The surviving spouse and/or children of the deceased
• If there are no surviving spouses or children, the surviving parents of the deceased
• If neither spouse, children, nor parents survive, the surviving siblings of the deceased
• If neither spouse, children, parents, nor siblings survive, the surviving grandparents of the deceased
• All of the above family members also include those family members by adoption as well

The same statute also enforces a one-year statute of limitations on bringing a wrongful death claim. Although the right of action defined in the statute is heritable, that inheritance doesn’t change the statute of limitations. 

In other words, if your brother died due to negligence, then your sister-in-law later on, you could bring a wrongful death suit against the liable party—but you’d need to file a claim within a year of the original death.

What You Need To Do After a Helicopter Crash

If you or a loved one has been involved in a helicopter crash, you must act quickly to preserve your rights and recover the compensation you deserve. Here are some things you should do:

Step 1, seek medical attention: Your health should be your top priority after a helicopter accident. Seek immediate medical attention to address any injuries you may have sustained.

Step 2, gather evidence: Preserve any evidence related to the crash, such as the helicopter wreckage, flight records, and witness statements. This evidence can be crucial in proving the cause of the accident and establishing liability.

Step 3, call a helicopter crash lawyer: An experienced helicopter accident lawyer can help you navigate the legal process and secure the compensation you deserve. For more clarity, continue reading on to the next section. 

Why Do I Need a Helicopter Crash Injury Attorney?

Depending on the location of the helicopter crash, different laws may apply. Because helicopters frequently travel between the land and sea, they travel between where maritime law or common law (or Napoleonic law in Louisiana) apply. More times than not, deciding which jurisdiction to try a helicopter injury claim is one of the most complex factors of the case:

• The Jones Act could be applied if the crash involved maritime activity and occurred less than 12 miles from the shore.
• The plaintiff might be eligible to file a claim under the Death on the High Seas Act if the accident occurred farther out at sea.
• If the accident is judged not to be related to maritime activity, however, it could be under the jurisdiction of state or federal personal injury or wrongful death law.

A skilled attorney is needed to navigate maritime law because it differs from other areas of the law. The Jones Act claims are a specialty of the helicopter crash lawyers at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, who have years of experience in this area of law.

You Can Trust Gordon Mckernan with Your Helicopter Crash Case

The tragedy of a helicopter crash goes well beyond the hospital and you may even find yourself needing emotional therapy following a traumatic event like this. At Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, we have decades of experience, high knowledge in the field of aviation accidents, and plenty of helicopter crash lawyers on standby ready to increase your chances of getting a favorable settlement.

Schedule a free consultation with us today to discover more about what you may be entitled to in your helicopter crash case.  We’ll get started on your case right away, and you won’t have to pay us a dime until we win your case, that’s the G Guarantee!