What Does An Airplane Lawyer Do?
An airplane lawyer handles litigation that is involved with all aspects of the aviation industry. While primarily concerned with assigning liability after an injury, other responsibilities may include recouping losses caused by faulty aircraft design, private jet liability, and cargo plane litigation including losses to property. This field of law is a challenging niche to occupy. Not only do lawyers associated with the aviation industry have to attend law school and pass the bar exam like any other attorney, they also need an understanding of aeronautics. Many of these lawyers hold advanced degrees in aeronautical engineering and several are former or current pilots. Adding to the difficulties of litigation of this complicated industry, are legal issues regarding local, state, and federal regulatory agencies when dealing with accidents, especially large commercial accidents. These agencies, through legal red tape and bureaucratic structure, can severely hinder prosecution of legitimate cases.
An Aviation Attorney Assigns Liability In The Event Of An Error Or Accident
The primary job of an aviation attorney is to assign liability after an accident. This is a contentious and difficult procedure usually. When a passenger purchases a ticket for a fight, he or she assumes a certain amount of inherent liability. This is most easily interpreted as a “fly at your own risk” stipulation. However, there are circumstances in which the airline company, manufacturer, or pilot can be held liable. These include pilot error or negligence, improper aircraft design, or improper maintenance of the aircraft. The airport or even the flight tower operator can also be held liable for an accident if the plane was allowed to operate in unsafe conditions or if the plane was put at risk due to scheduling constraints. It is the attorney’s job to sort through these potential issues and assign liability.
Trial Attorneys Are There To Help You
While the media focuses on the large commercial accidents, trial attorneys also preside over the much more numerous private and cargo aviation legal situations. Many attorneys argue that this aspect of their legal niche is much more important to the average American flyer because airline manufacturers, airport authorities, and aviation companies hesitate to accept liability. When dealing with private flyers insurance companies are quick to blame the potential inexperience of the pilot. However, every pilot and their family has the right to know whether the plane in question was manufactured without serious flaws, maintained properly, and that air traffic controller operated confidently and correctly. An airplane lawyer can provide this kind of in depth analysis.
