Aviation accidents can have catastrophic consequences, and the majority of these are caused by human factors. While pilot error is the most commonly known cause of aviation accidents, it is not the main reason. All airplanes, regardless of their size, are designed, built, operated, and maintained by humans. This means that the design and maintenance of airplanes and their engines, as well as their air traffic controllers, can all contribute to accidents.
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Non-Fatal Injuries on Airplanes
Big air disasters that happen across the world will air on the news for days, but small accidents that injure both passengers and crew happen all the time. These can be in large passenger airliners crossing the country, or in small single-engine aircraft operated by private pilots. No matter the scale or the airplane or the accident, these incidents can leave people with long-lasting physical and psychological injuries.
This can often leave people with ongoing medical expenses too, which further adds to their trauma and prevents them from moving forward after their experience. Help from an attorney for victims in plane accidents with a history of winning compensation can reduce the financial burden and gain recognition for injured parties, but there will still be work for them to do. Falls, fractures, and head injuries are all common in non-fatal aviation accidents and each requires physical and psychological therapy to help victims heal, which can take years to complete.
Investigating Liability to Find Responsibility
Air accident investigations can take years to complete, depending on the severity of the accident. Even small and non-fatal accidents that did not prevent a plane from flying can require lengthy investigations to establish who is responsible for the injuries caused. Pilots and crew are often the first to be blamed in any aviation accident, but there are many other parties involved that could share some of the responsibility or be the direct cause of the accident.
Air traffic controllers can cause incidents through careless airplane management or by misunderstanding the information they have. They schedule and arrange landings, which are one of the most crucial and dangerous parts of a flight. If they bring in a plane too quickly, the excess speed can cause rough landings which can injure passengers and crew and even damage the plane. Maintenance can also influence an aviation accident. These various factors can all cause an air accident investigation to take months or even years despite there being no fatalities.
Moving Forward
For injured parties, recovery can take a lifetime. People still struggle with the effects of aviation accidents long after they happen, and compensation and recognition in a court can only help so much. Moving on after an aviation accident requires the support of friends and family, as well as support from legal and medical professionals so that injured parties can recover their health and their wealth after the accident.
Aviation accidents can lead to loss of earnings, ongoing medical expenses, and other costs which further contribute to the trauma. This means that it is vital you record incidents and injuries immediately and find legal representation to secure your future if you are ever involved in an aviation accident.