Can you sue for injuries in a private plane accident in Texas?
85-Year-Old Pilot Hospitalized After Crashing Plane into Beorne Hangar
According to a KSAT News report, a senior pilot lost control of his aircraft and crashed into a hangar in Beorne last month.
The Leon Springs Fire Department reported the incident occurred at around 8:30 a.m. on September 28, 2023, at the Beorne Stage Airfield. The senior pilot was attempting to land the single-engine aircraft when he lost control and crashed into the hangar. He escaped the plane before impact and was taken to the hospital in stable condition with serious injuries. The plane and hangar sustained minor damage.
Did You Know?
There are roughly 19 fatal crashes in private planes per year.
Private Plane Accidents in San Antonio — What You Need to Know
You don’t hear about plane crashes too often, but they do happen. Sometimes, they are even fatal. So, what do you do if you are seriously injured in a private plane accident or if you lose a loved one in a private plane crash in San Antonio? Let’s take a look.
Liability in Private Plane Accidents
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, there are many parties who can be held responsible, including:
- The Pilot — Pilots go through rigorous training for a license, but they’re still humans, and humans make mistakes. If they injure you accidentally, you can file a claim against them for negligence. If they injured you intentionally, there may even be punitive damages awarded if the flight was not international.
- Maintenance Crew — The ground crew can also make mistakes, and if their negligence caused the plane to crash, they may be held responsible for resulting injuries.
- Air Traffic Controllers — If an air traffic controller gives faulty information that causes an accident, they may also be held responsible for injuries from an accident.
- Plane Manufacturer — If a defect in the private plane caused the accident, the manufacturing company could also be held wholly or partially responsible, as long as the plane has not been in use for 18 years or more.
Compensation in Private Plane Accidents
The compensation you can receive for injuries after a plane crash is the same as in an auto accident and includes:
- Medical Expenses — Any previous or ongoing treatment related to the accident, including hospitalization expenses and ambulance expenses.
- Pain and Suffering/Emotional Distress — Diminished quality of life, including prolonged emotional distress after the accident, is covered in a personal injury claim.
- Disfigurement — If the accident left you permanently disfigured, it will impact the rest of your life and can be factored into your claim.
- Lost Wages — If the injuries you sustained made you miss work or have taken away your ability to work, this can also be compensated in a personal injury claim.
Close family members are also able to file a wrongful death claim if they lose a family member in a private plane accident. Additional damages in a wrongful death claim include:
- Loss of Consortium — When injuries or death prevent the fulfillment of marriage duties.
- Funeral Expenses — Reimbursement for burial and funeral costs of your loved one.
To find out what you are legally entitled to after a private plane accident in San Antonio, schedule a consultation with our aviation accident attorneys in San Antonio.
Hire Carabin Shaw Aviation Accident Attorneys
We’ve been putting our clients first in San Antonio for 30 years because we care about each and every case we take on. If you were injured or lost a loved one in an aviation accident in San Antonio, contact our team for a free case evaluation at 800-862-1260.