Tampa Airplane Accident Lawyer

Have you or a loved one been injured in an airplane accident near Tampa, FL? You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering. An experienced Tampa aviation/airplane accident lawyer at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers can help you secure the money you deserve for your injuries.

Since 1992, our legal team has recovered more than $500 million for injured clients across the Tampa Bay area.

We’re here to help you understand your legal options. Contact our law offices in Tampa, Florida, or call us today at (813) 222-8656 to schedule a free consultation.

How Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Aviation/Airplane Accident in Tampa

How Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Aviation/Airplane Accident in Tampa

An airplane accident is many people’s greatest fear. These accidents leave victims with painful, debilitating injuries for months or years. Others die from their injuries. Unfortunately, most airplane accidents are preventable; they happen because someone was negligent.

It wasn’t your fault that you got hurt in an airplane accident. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean getting fair compensation will be easy. Establishing liability after a plane crash can be complicated. Multiple parties might share responsibility–and you can bet that each one of them will blame someone else for the accident. After all, these claims are often worth hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.

An experienced Tampa personal injury attorney at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers can help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve.

Our lawyers in Tampa Bay will:

  • Carefully investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident
  • Identify all responsible parties and insurance coverage
  • Hire experts to support your injury claim
  • Negotiate to win the maximum compensation available

We have 28 years of experience helping clients get back on their feet again. We’ll work tirelessly to negotiate the fair settlement you deserve. If the insurance company won’t play fair, our Tampa personal injury attorneys will take your case to trial.

If you were hurt or lost a loved one, we highly recommend that you call us today to schedule a free case review.

How Common Are Aviation/Airplane Accidents in Tampa?

Nearly 220,000 aircraft are registered in the U.S. That number includes “for-hire” commercial planes that transport passengers and cargo. It also includes general aviation, which are all other types of air travel, such as private aircraft and planes used for recreational purposes.

The National Bureau of Transportation keeps track of aviation and airline accidents in the United States. 

In 2019, there were a total of 1,220 aviation accidents in the U.S., resulting in:

  • 414 fatalities
  • 227 serious injuries

According to commercial aviation safety data, 2019 was the seventh safest year on record for commercial aviation–with only 20 fatal accidents involving commercial airplanes. Most serious airplane/aviation crashes involve smaller general aviation planes. 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) compiles data on all civilian aviation accidents, including those involving commercial air carriers, commuter and on-demand carriers, and general aviation. 

In 2018, the NTSB reported the following accidents:

  • 31 accidents involving commercial air carriers
  • One fatal commercial airline accident
  • 42 accidents involving commuter and on-demand airplanes
  • Seven fatal commuter and on-demand airplane accidents
  • 1,275 general aviation accidents
  • 224 fatal general aviation accidents

Florida is one of the most popular states in the nation for private flying–with far more small aircraft than most other states. While commercial air travel has gotten safer over the years, traveling on a small private plane has actually become more dangerous. Between 2017 and 2018, private aviation accident fatalities rose at least 13%.

What is My Tampa Aviation/Airplane Accident Case Worth?

The value of your personal injury case will depend on the specific details of your injury and accident. 

Important factors to consider include:

  • The type and severity of your injury
  • The cost of your medical treatment
  • Your lost wages and income while you recover
  • Any permanent impairment or disability
  • Your emotional trauma and PTSD
  • Whether you share responsibility for the accident

Our lawyers will fight to get every dollar you deserve. We’ll even bring in experts in medicine, accident reconstruction, and other specialties to help. Just call our aviation attorneys to learn more.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Aviation/Airplane Accident Victims?

Airplane accidents can be a terrifying experience. Many victims sustain life-altering injuries. The responsible party is liable for paying your damages after a plane crash. 

That includes compensation for all of your economic damages, or out-of-pocket expenses, such as:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Future medical bills
  • Lost future earning capacity
  • Rehabilitation
  • Property damage

As a victim, you’re also entitled to compensation for your physical and emotional suffering. 

These non-economic damages compensate for:

If your loved one was killed in a fatal plane crash, you also have the right to pursue compensation for wrongful death. You may be entitled to damages to cover funeral and burial costs, loss of financial support and inheritance, and more.

Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for an Aviation/Airplane Accident in Florida?

Most aviation/airplane accidents involve private planes or planes flown solely for recreational purposes. It’s common for the insurance company to try to blame the victim for getting hurt. 

Sometimes those claims are legitimate. To be sure, an injured party’s actions could have contributed to the crash. That doesn’t mean you lose your right to damages. 

Under Florida’s pure comparative fault rules, your compensation can be reduced in proportion to your share of the blame. You’re still entitled to hold all other responsible parties accountable for their share of fault.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Aviation/Airplane Accident Injuries

Airplane accident victims often suffer serious injuries. You deserve to be fairly compensated for each one. 

At Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of airplane accidents in Tampa, including those involving:

You can count on us to fight for the maximum compensation available in your case–including compensation for your emotional suffering.

What Causes Most Aviation/Airplane Accidents in Tampa, Florida?

The vast majority of plane crashes happen during takeoff and landing. In fact, nearly 50% of all plane crashes happen during the final approach and landing phase of the flight. Around 22% percent of plane crashes happen during takeoff.

Understanding the cause of the crash is important. It’s the only real way to find out who was to blame for the accident–and who’s responsible for paying your compensation if you were hurt.

Some of the leading causes of airplane crashes in Tampa include:

  • Inexperienced pilots
  • Distracted operators
  • Operator fatigue
  • Pilot error
  • Engine malfunction
  • Equipment failures
  • The airline’s failure to properly inspect and maintain the airplane
  • Defective aircraft or aircraft components
  • Defective airplane design
  • Software failures
  • Drug or alcohol use
  • Communication failures
  • Air traffic control errors
  • Dangerous weather conditions

Our Tampa aviation/airplane accident attorneys at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers will conduct a full investigation into the crash. If you need help getting to the bottom of what happened, call our law firm to schedule a free case review today.

How Do I Prove Negligence After an Aviation/Airplane Accident in Florida? 

Anyone who is even partly responsible for a plane accident can be held liable under Florida shared fault rules. 

Those parties might include:

  • The pilot
  • The plane’s owner
  • Maintenance companies
  • The manufacturer
  • Airplane mechanics
  • Airport staff
  • Air traffic control officials
  • The airport
  • Government agencies

The accident victim usually must prove that those parties were negligent to recover damages. Someone is negligent when they fail to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances.

 In legal terms, you’ll have to establish:

  • A legal duty of care
  • A breach of the duty of care
  • The breach caused the accident
  • You suffered damages

Where the manufacturer of an airplane or aircraft component is liable, strict liability theories may apply. In those cases, you won’t have to prove negligence. Instead, you’ll usually have to prove that the plane suffered from a manufacturing or design defect.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After an Aviation/Airplane Accident in Florida?

You’ll have a limited amount of time to take legal action after an airplane accident. 

According to Florida’s statute of limitations, the deadline will depend upon who you’re filing the lawsuit against:

  • You have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit against a private domestic party
  • You’ll only have three years to take legal action against most Florida government entities, and a 180-day waiting period will also apply

You may only have two years to file a lawsuit against the FAA or the airline if you were hurt on an international flight. 

Contact a Tampa Aviation/Airplane Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Airplane accident cases are much more complex than your typical car accident case. You don’t have to handle the legal aspects alone. Get the legal advice you deserve by calling an experienced Tampa aviation/airplane accident lawyer at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers for a free consultation today.