Aviation accidents can be catastrophic and often give rise to substantial personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death claims. Given the speed, size, and heft of airplanes with tanks full of flammable fuel, multiple deaths are not uncommon in plane crashes.
Whether caused by human error or mechanical failure, aviation accidents in California make headlines with graphic video footage. However, aviation accident injuries can also arise from more mundane incidents, such as carry-on luggage falling from overhead bins, slips and falls in the aisle, aggression by another passenger, or negligent behavior by airline staff.
If you’ve been injured in an aviation accident or a loved one has been killed in a plane crash or other event, you might be entitled to financial damages. Our California aviation accidents attorneys can explain your legal rights and discuss next steps in seeking the compensation you deserve.
Types of Injuries in Aviation Accidents
Having access to skilled medical practitioners who can identify the extent of your injuries in an airline accident is essential in determining the accident’s impact on your life and the total compensation you are due.
Whether you suffered burns from hot flames in a fiery crash or head trauma from falling luggage, our personal injury lawyers have access to a network of medical professionals who can conduct tests and treat your injuries. We fight for the compensation our clients deserve by compiling clear medical evidence of all injuries sustained in aviation accidents.
Injuries and case types can include:
- Catastrophic injuries
- Fire and burn injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
- Back and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Bone fractures
- Slip- and- fall injuries
- Wrongful death
When an airplane crashes, skids off the runway, or erupts into flames, passengers can suffer severe injuries or death. Individuals can also be injured when an in-flight incident occurs and a drunken or unruly passenger harms others. After gathering medical documentation, our attorneys can assess the facts in your case and advise you about what your case might be worth.
Compensation You May Be Entitled to Receive
Persons injured in a California aviation accident may be entitled to various types of financial compensation. “Economic damages” include those that can be measured monetarily, while “non-economic damages” include those that are harder to measure financially but are every bit as real.
Potential compensation for aviation accident victims and their families includes:
- Medical Expenses: Injuries sustained in aviation accidents can lead to costly medical bills, including doctor and hospital charges, as well as the expense of ongoing physical therapy.
- Lost Wages: Plane crash accidents that cause injuries often result in the loss of current and future wages due to time off from work. Severe injuries can result in permanent disability.
- Emotional Distress: In the aftermath of a tragic plane crash, survivors can feel agitation, despair, and guilt, as well as suffer from other mental health issues.
- Pain and Suffering: Plane crash survivors often have severe injuries that cause ongoing, relentless physical pain.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Survivors injured in airplane accidents often feel alone, disoriented, and frightened. They can have nightmares, PTSD, and lose interest in family activities, social outings, and recreational activities.
A skilled aviation injury lawyer knows how to calculate these damages to ensure that you receive all the compensation you’re entitled to.
Potential Liable Parties in a California Aviation Accident
There could be one or multiple parties responsible for causing the accident that led to your injuries. That’s why hiring a skilled plane accident lawyer is so critical – you want a highly experienced and knowledgeable attorney who knows how to process evidence and determine who’s at fault. Defendants in these cases can include:
- An airplane manufacturer
- An airline
- An insurance company
- An airport
- A municipal agency
- An air traffic controller
- A pilot and/or crew members
- An airline leasing company
- A private plane owner
By assessing the unique facts in your case, a skilled attorney can determine which entities to name as defendants in your legal claim for compensation.
Examples of Aviation Accidents in California
- Two people were killed and one was seriously injured when a plane crashed east of Bishop after take-off from Bishop Airport. Not long after taking off, the aircraft was reported missing, and all communications from it were lost. There were three people aboard. Authorities found the plane crash near Black Canyon Road.
- A Cessna 421 A Golden Eagle 1 crashed in Palm Springs, killing the three people aboard. On approach to Palm Springs Airport, the twin-engine plane began flying erratically and crashed in an isolated area.
- Multiple people died when a small plane crashed into a San Diego military housing neighborhood. There were six passengers aboard, and at least three were found dead in the moments after the crash. Sound Talent Group co-founder Dave Shapiro was among those killed in the crash.
Trauma Centers in California Where Aviation Injuries Can Be Treated
California is fortunate to have multiple Level 1 trauma centers. This means people injured in aviation accidents can be rushed to area hospitals or airlifted to critical care trauma facilities.
Some of California’s Level 1 trauma centers include:
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Stanford University Medical Center
- UC Davis Medical Center
- Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
- UC San Diego Health
- Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
- Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla
Major California Airports
California has more than 880 airports, ranging from major international hubs like LAX and SFO to smaller private airstrips, heliports, and military bases. It has about 250 public-use airports, including commercial and general aviation.
Some of California’s biggest airports include:
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is a massive global hub, handling 6 million passengers in 2024, over half a million aircraft operations, and millions of tons of cargo annually. It is the busiest West Coast gateway with extensive domestic and international flights.
- John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County had 11,089,405 passengers pass through its terminal in 2024 and handled 16.2 tons of cargo that same year.
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO) serves around 40-47 million passengers annually, with about 1,000 flights daily.
Statute of Limitations for Filing a Personal Injury Claim in California
In California, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the injury. This deadline applies to aviation accident claims. There are a few exceptions to the two-year deadline, such as a six-month deadline to file a claim against a government agency (like the municipality that owns an airport).
In some limited circumstances, the deadline can be extended if an injured party is mentally incapacitated/in a coma, is a minor, or if discovery of the injury was delayed because symptoms did not immediately present themselves when the accident occurred.
Contact Our California Aviation Accident Lawyers
Berg Injury Lawyers is a law firm that cares deeply about our clients. Aviation accident injuries can be devastating, and the fear and trauma are overwhelming. Our clients aren’t just a number on a file jacket at our law firm; they’re real people with real stories, and we invested in their lives and recoveries.
We know each unique individual is going through a very difficult experience. We treat every client and their family with compassion, respect, and care. Our legal staff are highly professional and experienced. To find out more about how we can help, contact us for a free initial consultation about your case.
