Aircraft Accidents

Aircraft Accident Lawyers in Seattle

When we fly we entrust our lives to the designers and manufacturers of the aircraft and its parts, the airline, its pilots, and other personnel who provide maintenance, air traffic controllers, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Flying is highly regulated and generally very safe, but only when all involved do what is expected of them.  For this reason, airlines are charged with the highest standard of care for their passengers.  Even private pilots must meet high standards of competence.  Aircraft designers and manufacturers are also held to strict standards.  When inattention to design, manufacture, maintenance, repair, piloting, occur, some of our worst nightmares can come true; whether on the ground, at 5,000 feet, or at 35,000 feet.

Causes of Aircraft Crashes

The potential causes of aircraft crashes are usually complex. Often months and sometimes years pass before the authorities reach and publish a conclusion.  In the U.S., the National Transportation Safety Board investigates; though – for better or worse – our system permits the manufacturer the most significant active role in determining what happened.  Often various investigations occur concurrently – particularly when the crash occurs in a foreign country.

The families of victims and the occasional survivor are usually shut out of the investigation process.  They are not given an official role or voice in the NTSB investigation.  They will not be given answers before the results are generally made public.

Let Our Aviation Attorneys Help You

Our lawyers have successfully handled plane, private jet, and helicopter cases occurring in the U.S. as well as global major airline disasters in The Netherlands, the Atlantic Ocean, and Indonesia.  We have also handled numerous claims for injuries that happen at airports and on airliners, including misuse of wheelchairs, accidents with airport and aisle carts, faulty stairways and jetways, falling baggage, and improper first aid.

Our Attorneys Work With Top Aviation Experts to Find the Cause of Aircraft Crashes

When the Stritmatter Firm is hired in an air crash case, whether it occurred in the U.S. or overseas, we do not sit quietly while the government entities investigate.  We push for information.  We retain highly qualified experts who perform independent investigations.  We monitor the NTSB and other investigations.  And we file lawsuits that allow us to obtain documents, materials, and testimony from the responsible corporations.  Once the facts are better known and theories examined, is not unusual for experts to disagree with the NTSB’s conclusions.