Tampa Airplane Accident Attorney

As an airplane accident attorney in Tampa, FL, I understand aviation accidents can be devastating and complex, resulting in serious injuries or fatalities.

When such incidents occur in Florida, the involvement of a skilled personal injury attorney in Tampa is not just beneficial but often essential.

Determining Liability For a Florida Aviation Accident

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration may investigate your airline crash to determine the cause. 

Once you have identified the parties responsible, you should be able to pursue a claim for personal injury or wrongful death damages if you were hurt or a loved one was killed.

Some of the different parties who could be held responsible include:

• The airline or the company that owns and operates the airplane if the accident was caused by negligence on behalf of the pilot they employ or by the company’s own negligence (such as if the company did not maintain the plane properly or hire qualified pilots)
• The airline manufacturer, if there was a problem with the parts of the airline or its construction, that caused the incident to occur
• Maintenance contractors, if those responsible for plane maintenance, failed to perform fixes correctly or did not notice problems that they should have
• Air traffic controllers, if the collision resulted from faulty directions

Diaco Law can help you identify all potential defendants and assist in developing the right legal strategy to take action. 

For example, if air traffic control is to blame, then you would have to pursue a claim against the government, which requires taking different steps and working on a different timeline due to sovereign immunity rules. 

What Damages and Compensation Can You Recover?

Victims of an airline accident should be fully compensated for all losses they experience, including:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress

If the airline accident was a fatal one, then surviving loved ones should be compensated for:

• Loss of the earnings the deceased person would have brought into the household over the rest of his or her lifetime
• Loss of companionship due to the premature end of the relationship with the deceased
• Funeral expenses
• Emotional damages resulting from the plane crash and untimely death

Diaco Law will help you to understand what your case is worth and to prove the full extent of your damages so you can be fairly compensated. 

Understanding Aviation Accidents in Florida

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, 1,462 aviation accidents occurred in the United States in 2023. In Florida there were 80 aviation accidents, 13 of which resulted in fatalities. For nearly 30 years, Jay Diaco has handled very complicated airplane and helicopter fatality cases; personally, witnessing the devastating consequences of these incidents firsthand.

The aftermath is always complex, requiring the expertise of our skilled attorneys and network of experts to establish liability, ensure accountability from the responsible parties, and to secure the most compensation for victims and their families.

What are the Common Causes and Types of Aviation Accidents?

Aviation accidents encompass commercial airline accidents, international aviation accidents, airplane crashes, helicopter accidents, and small/private plane accidents.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identifies frequent causes, including:

• Human error
• Inadequate pre-flight preparation
• Structural failures
• Approach and landing issues
• Engine malfunctions
• Inclement weather conditions
• Mismanagement of fuel
• Fatigued or improperly trained pilots

Types of Aviation Accident Injuries Including Wrongful Death

Aviation accidents often cause devastating injuries as the force and impact of a plane falling from the sky can understandably be very traumatic on the body.

Death is very common when an airplane accident happens, and surviving loved ones may be entitled to bring a wrongful death claim in these situations. 

Other common injuries can include:

• Traumatic brain injury, which can affect brain function and result in changes in cognitive ability, mood, and personality, and which can increase the risk of lifelong complications, including dementia
• Spinal cord injuries, which can leave you without movement or feeling in most or all of your body below where the damage was done
• Broken bones, which can lead to surgeries, casting, and sometimes permanent injuries
• Burn injuries, which are common due to extreme friction in airplane accidents, as well as because of fires caused by jet fuel
• Emotional and mental injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder, in the aftermath of a plane crash

You should ensure your injuries are documented and that you take steps, such as keeping a pain journal, to show how severely you were harmed so you can be fully compensated for losses. 

What Role Does the NTSB Play in Aviation Accidents?

The NTSB conducts an investigation after all civilian aviation accidents. The goal is to determine the facts and circumstances; identify probable causes; and make a safety recommendation to limit the chances of a similar action in the future. 

An NTSB investigation can provide important evidence as to who was to blame in your airline accident. Diaco Law is familiar with these investigations and will help you get the evidence you need to make a strong case. 

Proper Investigation

To determine liability, a proper investigation is crucial. This involves hiring aviation experts, medical experts, acquiring data from flight recorders, air traffic control communications, maintenance records, and witness testimonies. Jay Diaco and Diaco Law collaborate closely with investigators, aviation experts, and accident reconstruction specialists to meticulously gather, preserve, and analyze this evidence.

We Offer FREE Consultations

Diaco Law has a proven track record in securing multi-million dollar recoveries for families affected by helicopter and airplane fatality cases. With our extensive experience, we are ready to assist you with your claim as soon as possible.

We offer free consultations and no upfront fees or costs, which can become very large quickly. You are not responsible for ANY fees or costs, unless we successfully resolve the case for you and your family. Contact us online or call (813) 221-7978 to schedule the free case consultation with our Tampa aviation accident attorneys today.