Helicopter crashes are uncommon and usually caused due to negligence and technical faults. Other possible causes of helicopter crashes include poor maintenance, unsafe load, and human error while flying. In addition, the helicopter can have technical problems due to extreme usage over the years. Usually, when a helicopter is used beyond the time limit it is recommended to use, it experiences problems like worn gearboxes, worn rotor heads, and even engine issues. If you find yourself in this situation, you will need a helicopter crash lawyer.
The potential for helicopter crashes is widespread, particularly in major cities across the United States, where a variety of agencies — law enforcement — use them to monitor illegal activity and hunt down elusive criminals. In addition, media organizations use them to report on road traffic or police activity.Â
Many tour operators use helicopters to offer leisure travel experiences to their customers in Tampa, Florida. Unfortunately, the growing popularity of transport helicopters has contributed to a high rate of accidents, often resulting in fatalities or seriously injuring victims.Â
Why are helicopter flights so risky?Â
The primary reason for helicopter crashes is that they fly in risky and difficult areas. While aircraft operate in controlled environments with runways, air traffic controllers, and flight paths, helicopters are often deployed in locations inaccessible to aircraft. Because of this, they are extremely useful when fighting forest fires, participating in military operations or complex search and rescue operations, and conducting emergency medical evacuations.
Helicopters are typically used in hazardous situations where airplanes cannot fly, such as all of these situations endanger the helicopters, their passengers, and the people on the ground. Pilots must therefore be very well trained, as they are often required to fly helicopters in extremely dangerous situations.
Helicopter accidents can have many causes, including:
Structural risk
Helicopters fly at low altitudes and therefore have a higher risk of colliding with structures such as control towers, buildings, trees, and utility lines. Emergency helicopters are particularly prone to such accidents in Tampa.
Overload
Suppose operators exceed the maximum payload of the helicopter, and the risk of accidents increases. As a result, tour operators try to accommodate as many people as possible on the plane, with sometimes catastrophic consequences.
Poor maintenance
Helicopters are highly complex machines that require highly specialized repairs and maintenance. To reduce costs, it is not uncommon to outsource maintenance to mechanics for owners who do not have the extensive knowledge and experience needed to maintain and repair a helicopter properly.
Pilot Error
Mistakes on the pilot end are one of the leading causes of accidents. There are many ways for a pilot to cause a helicopter crash. If the pilot does not operate the aircraft within its operating limits, it can end in disaster. Likewise, operating a helicopter in an unsafe environment can easily result in an accident.
Faulty Parts
Because helicopters are sophisticated flying machines with several mechanical parts, they contain all sorts of parts and components such as rotors, gears, drive shafts, flight controls, landing gear, and electronics that should function precisely. All these components must be manufactured and designed to the highest level of accuracy. If a device is faulty, it could lead to a malfunction and an accident. Even the most experienced pilot can lose control of the helicopter due to faulty equipment.
Inexperienced pilot
Helicopter pilots require hundreds of hours of flying experience safely operating these complex aircraft. However, many companies employ pilots who do not have the necessary knowledge and experience and therefore can make serious mistakes, especially when landing in narrow and confined spaces.
Climatic and environmental factors
Flying in snow, rain, hail, fog, or other scenarios where visibility is impaired is a common cause of helicopter accidents. In addition, other environmental factors such as encountering a flock of birds or the occurrence of wake vortices can lead to a crash.
Air traffic control negligence
ATC operators must always be vigilant and provide pilots with the necessary and reliable information. The consequences can be serious if a pilot receives outdated or incorrect information. An example might be directing two aircraft along the flight path resulting in a head-on collision.
Who is Liable for Helicopter Accident Injuries?
Multiple parties can be held liable for injuries and wrongful deaths resulting from helicopter accidents, including:
- The pilot
- The owner
- Component manufacturers and distributors
- Helicopter maintenance personnel
- Air traffic handler
- Helicopter tour operator
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, others may be liable. In some cases, there may be more than one defendant in a helicopter crash test. For example, a helicopter accident may be due to improper maintenance and pilot error; those responsible can be the pilot, their employer, the helicopter owner, and the company responsible for the aircraft maintenance.
The victims often face high medical bills, lost income, and many other financial losses while trying to get back on their feet. You may also require long-term medical treatment, rehabilitation, and psychiatric services to treat the trauma caused by the helicopter crash.
Victims should get the assistance of an attorney as soon as possible because preparing for a helicopter accident trial takes time. There is plenty to do to analyze evidence, hire experts, question witnesses, and more. Remember the time limits when filing a personal injury or wrongful death claim.Â
What to do after a helicopter crash accident? – Helicopter Crash Lawyer
If you or a loved one is injured in a helicopter accident in Tampa, several steps should be taken to protect your legal rights and some damages.
First, get medical help right away. Call the ambulance or ask someone near you to call the ambulance. Follow your doctor’s instructions for treatment and care so you can make a speedy and full recovery.
Visual evidence is important. The NTSB normally investigates helicopter accidents, but these investigations can take several months. To protect your rights, try to get contact information from eyewitnesses. Your helicopter crash lawyer in Tampa can help collect all key evidence, including the damages and records, to be retained for accident reconstruction specialists to review.
After a serious accident, you can make an insurance claim or file a lawsuit against the insurer at fault. In most cases, you will try to recover the damage from the insurance company before taking the test.
If you are making an insurance claim against a third party, you will show that the other party was at fault for the accident and the nature and extent of your injuries. You should acquire evidence against the pilot, the maintenance provider, or another company and their medical records.
An experienced helicopter crash lawyer in Tampa can guide you through the complicated process. A lawyer can be sure to present sufficient evidence and negotiate the maximum compensation.
Keep all bills and receipts related to the accident and injuries sustained. Keeps a journal detailing the days after the accident, including the pain and the activities you cannot do because of your injuries. Don’t forget to keep track of your days off from work due to your injuries.
Stay away from social media and don’t update anything about your current situation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any other social media platform. Insurance companies and defense attorneys scour social media sites for the information they can use against plaintiffs. Therefore, it would be wise to hold your social media activities until after resolution.
The Coleman Law Group Can Help You
Whether you or your loved ones fall victim to a helicopter crash in Tampa, you don’t need to worry. Coleman Law Group’s helicopter crash lawyer in Tampa is there to help with your case. Our lawyers at the Coleman Law Group have years of experience helping clients get justice and compensation for their injuries in accidents. So feel free to contact us, and our attorneys will evaluate the case to help you get compensation for injuries due to the accident.Â
