Airplane Accidents In Buffalo, New York

Experienced Lawyers and Paralegals Fighting to Obtain the Best Result for People of New York State Injured in Airplane Accidents.

Our dedicated staff of Buffalo, New York airplane accident attorneys at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. are equipped to help victims of airplane crashes recover the maximum compensation possible. If you, or a loved one, have suffered serious injury or death in an aviation accident, you want Jed Dietrich, Esq., a recognized Best Lawyer of America, to fight for YOU. Jed Dietrich, Esq. has a stellar record of obtaining the best results for personal injury cases in Buffalo, New York; Rochester, New York and Niagara Falls, New York.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. today at 716-839-3939 and let our aggressive, tenacious and hardworking team assist you every step of the way in your personal injury case. We are available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week, and there is never a fee unless we win for YOU.

Air travel is a routine part of American life. Commercial airlines transport thousands of families on vacation, business people traveling for work and other travelers every day. There are as many as 5,000 planes in the air in the United States at a time. The airline industry is a powerful sector of the American economy.

Although plane crashes are rare, they do occur and can be devastating.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigates all major airplane crashes that occur in the United States. However, victims of plane crashes and their families can also bring lawsuits to recover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering.

At the Dietrich Law Firm P.C., we zealously represent the victims of aviation accidents and their families. Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his top rated staff have secured over $175,000,000.00 in settlements and verdicts on behalf of their clients. We will use our extensive experience to attempt to obtain the best result for your airplane accident. Call us today for a free consultation at 716-839-3939.

Modern aircrafts are complex technological and engineering feats. There are a variety of reasons why planes crash, including:

Pilot Error

Commercial airlines are employing sophisticated, cutting-edge technology in their aircrafts to make them fuel efficient and cost effective. While pilots have less of a responsibility to manually operate the aircraft than ever before, there are numerous time-sensitive decisions that have to be made in the cockpit. Some of the most common scenarios where pilot error leads to a crash are:

1. Neglecting to thoroughly inspect key aspects of the airplane in pre-landing checks;
2. Approaching the airport or runway from the wrong altitude;
3. Not properly accounting for forces acting on the plane, such as wind and other outside factors; and
4. Poor communication with crew and air traffic control.

Pilot error is the primary cause of almost 50% of fatal plane crashes.

Commercial pilots have a heightened responsibility to ensure the safety of all passengers. Negligence in the cockpit can result in a devastating crash.

Mechanical Failure

Modern aircrafts rely on automated systems, software and technology more than ever before. This makes routine maintenance and repairs crucial. These complex systems and components must be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and inspected regularly to prevent a disastrous crash.

If one small part of the plane has a defect or fails, this could lead to mechanical failure. With numerous systems working at once, the pilot and flight crew must be aware of how these systems function in relation to one another.

Mechanical issues with the landing gear, fuel system and electrical system can cause serious issues and lead to deadly crashes.

If your plane crashed because of a mechanical issue, several parties may be liable. These include:

1. The Manufacturer

   A manufacturer can be held liable for a plane crash if they designed or installed a faulty or defective part of the plane. A claim against a manufacturer falls under the category of strict liability, which means that the plaintiff does not have to prove that the manufacturer was negligent. Instead, the plaintiff must establish that the component was faulty or defective and the main cause of the accident. Another important aspect of strict liability is that the part was used in the way that the manufacturer intended. Therefore, if the part was not installed properly, or it was clear that it needed to be replaced, then the fault would be shifted to the airline or maintenance crew.

2. The Airline

   Airlines are classified as common carriers due to the high volume of people that they transport every day across the world. This means that they have an increased duty of care, and must ensure that their passengers arrive to their destination safely. The Federal Aviation Administration sets regulations that commercial airlines must follow as common carriers.

3. Maintenance Employees

   Airlines are responsible for performing pre-flight inspections and routine maintenance on their airplanes. Often, crews are hired to service, repair and fuel planes. If the individuals hired fail to follow proper maintenance procedures, they can be held liable if the plane crashes.

Airplane crashes are complex cases, usually involving several liable parties. You want the most aggressive, tenacious and hardworking team of top rated personal injury lawyers and paralegals in Buffalo, New York to meticulously sort through your case and identify those responsible for your injuries. Successful plane crash lawsuits require an attorney with knowledge of the airline industry. Call the highly rated and seasoned attorneys at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. TODAY at 716-839-3939. We will fight to obtain the best result for YOU in your personal injury case after an airplane accident!

Air Traffic Control Negligence

The pilot and crewmembers of a plane are constantly communicating with air traffic control and other airline employees on the ground. These officials are responsible for giving takeoff and landing instructions to pilots and monitoring planes in the air using radar technology.

Potential situations that could be deemed air traffic control negligence include:

1. Failure to Warn the Pilot of a Hazard

   Air traffic controllers are responsible for warning pilots of hazards like inclement weather or a nearby airplane. Failure to do so can leave the pilots oblivious to a dangerous situation.

2. Air Traffic Controller Fatigue

   Air traffic controllers work long hours and manage thousands of flights per day. It is important that these employees are well rested so they can be alert and focused on their job. If an air traffic controller is fatigued, they may overlook potentially perilous scenarios, leading to a pilot being unaware of a hazard or multiple planes trying to land at the same time. The consequences can be deadly.

3. Poor Management of Air Traffic

   With up to 5,000 planes in the sky at a time, air traffic controllers have a crucial responsibility to facilitate the takeoff and landing of all flights. If an air traffic controller is negligent, a collision could occur on the runway.

   Air traffic control monitors 132 million flights every day worldwide. According to a study from the FAA, there are a total of 4,394 annual recorded errors made by employees other than the pilot and crewmembers onboard. These errors can lead to dangerous situations, such as two planes attempting to land on the same runway at the same time.

Planes crash for a variety of reasons, but the majority of accidents are caused by human error.

If you are the victim of negligence that resulted in an airplane crash, Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his team of top rated lawyers and paralegals can sue on your behalf for lost wages, pain and suffering and expensive medical bills. Let our highly experienced firm fight to obtain the maximum compensation for YOU. There is never a fee unless our aggressive, tenacious and hardworking airplane accident lawyers in Buffalo, New York secure a settlement or verdict on your behalf. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. is available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week. Contact us at 716-839-3939 to schedule a free consultation. There is never a fee unless we WIN for YOU.

Weather Affects Airplanes

Planes fly at high altitudes and through clouds. It is inevitable that bad weather will affect flight patterns. The pilot’s visibility while operating the plane can also be compromised. Some of the most common and treacherous weather scenarios are:

1. Wind: The most dangerous weather threat to airplanes is wind, specifically sudden changes in wind patterns and speeds. Pilots make decisions about flight patterns, speed and power based on the wind they encounter.

   A “microburst” refers to an intense downdraft that is produced through cumulonimbus clouds and rainstorms. Microbursts can be disastrous when airplanes encounter them at low altitudes because the downward air force can push the plane towards the ground rapidly. Many planes in the United States are now equipped with alert systems to point out dangerous wind patterns.

2. Lightning: Lightning striking an airplane is very rare, and will usually not result in catastrophic damage. However, planes are still required to stay at least 20 miles away from the cumulonimbus clouds that produce lightning strikes. If a plane is struck by lightning, this can result in structural damage and puncture holes. Additionally, the crew in the cockpit can be temporarily distracted or even blinded from the bright flash, especially at night.

3. Snow and Ice: In 2009, Continental Connection flight 3407 crashed into a house just 5 miles from the runway in Buffalo, New York. Ice buildup on the wings and tail of the aircraft was a major factor in the accident, which killed all 48 passengers and the crew.

   Ice can accumulate on the airplane when it is on the ground during heavy snowfall and freezing air temperatures. Additionally, when planes fly through clouds, water droplets can stick to the plane’s surface and freeze.

   Ice accumulation is a serious problem for planes because it increases drag and decreases lift—effectively changing the aerodynamics of the aircraft. This makes it much more difficult for the plane to fly properly and can cause an aircraft to stall.

If you, or a loved one, have been hurt or killed in a plane crash, you want a highly experienced aviation firm to fight on your behalf so that you receive the best result for your personal injury case. Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his seasoned team of top rated Buffalo, New York airplane accident lawyers have successfully obtained over $175,000,000.00 in verdicts and settlements for his clients in Buffalo, New York; Rochester, New York; Niagara Falls, New York; throughout New York State and beyond. Call us immediately at 716-839-3939. You do not want to take on large airlines and insurance companies alone!

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 716-839-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Buffalo, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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