Houston Airplane Accident Lawyer

Our Airplane Accident Lawyer Helps Win Compensation

Talk to our Attorneys about an Airplane Accident Lawsuit

Aviation accidents can be extremely traumatic and destructive. In commercial airline accidents, many lives are lost and countless others irreparably changed. Survivors endure horrific emotional trauma, and their physical injuries are typically severe. In addition to the pain and suffering involved, they may face huge medical bills and expenses at a time when they are unable to work. Victims and their families are left reeling, often inadequately treated and cared for by the airlines, and don’t know where to turn for help.

Tragically, airplane accidents often are preventable and result from someone’s negligence or fault. If you or a loved one has been injured or someone has died in an airplane crash, you may be entitled to compensation from the negligent parties. While no amount of money can make up for the suffering from an airplane accident, fair compensation can relieve the financial burdens and cover costs for crash victims and their family members and help them go on with their lives.

The Texas airplane accident attorneys at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law understand the immense sorrow and devastation caused by these terrible tragedies. No matter the cause or type of accident, our airplane accident lawyers can help victims and surviving family members dealing with:

picture of terry bryant in a plane as a pilot
Terry Bryant was licensed as a pilot while still in high school. He knows about the law and aviation.
  • Commercial airline accidents
  • Private aircraft accidents
  • Helicopter accidents
  • Cargo airplane accidents
  • Hot-air balloon accidents.

We offer a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case and determine the best way to move forward.  There are no fees to you unless we win, so call us today to get started.

FREE CONSULTATION (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000

Reasons to Hire Houston Airplane Accident Lawyer Terry Bryant

Why Choose Us

Not all lawyers are the same, and hiring the right airplane accident attorney can make the difference between whether you recover the bare minimum or receive the full amount you need.

Airplane accidents are complicated and bring challenges that go beyond those of ordinary vehicle accident, personal injury or wrongful death cases. Most airline companies have a team of lawyers dedicated to saving their client money — at your expense. Here are some reasons why we believe Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law is your best choice to fight them:

  • We have more than 35+ years of experience.
  • We get results, and have recovered $1 billion for our clients.  Visit our client victories page to read about real cases — and real money — the dedicated attorneys at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law have won.
  • We provide great customer service and are available 24/7 for client emergencies.
  • Terry Bryant and two additional attorneys are board certified.
  • We have a 98% positive group of satisfied clients who give testimonials to our service.
  • We are recognized in our field; our law firm has received the Better Business Bureau’s Winner of Distinction Award multiple times.
  • We offer free initial consultations to get you started.
  • We have the resources of a skilled legal team, investigators, and expert witnesses to go up against a large trucking or insurance company.
  • We offer a No-Fee Guarantee, which means you pay us nothing unless you get your money.

Here’s what our Houston airplane accident lawyers will do to pursue justice for you:

  • Meet with you to discuss how the airplane crash happened, who the responsible parties may be, the best location to file your case, and how much your case should be worth.
  • Investigate the crash and gather evidence. Aviation accidents are thoroughly investigated by the federal National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and aviation insurance companies will also conduct an investigation. Our attorneys will do our own investigation to gather pilot information and secure aircraft registration and logbooks, pilot logbooks, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or NTSB incident reports.
  • Interview witnesses, police officers, and first responders to get all available information.
  • Hire experts to reconstruct the accident and testify as to all parties who might have been at fault.
  • Thoroughly assess all damages, including current and future medical bills, all forms of lost income, damaged property and non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering.
  • Hire experts to testify as to how the accident affects your life, and that of your family, and the costs that have resulted, as well as projected costs into the future.
  • Negotiate with insurance companies and their attorneys to fight for a fair settlement on your behalf. If the insurance company denies your claim, we can appeal it and fight for a positive resolution.
  • Build your case and present it in front of a judge or jury if your case goes to trial.

Airlines and their insurance carriers have armies of attorneys, adjusters, paralegals, accident investigators, expert witnesses, and staffers to protect their bottom line. Our Houston airplane accident team has the knowledge, experience, and resources to go up against them. We will be there for you throughout the entire legal process, addressing your concerns and keeping you informed.

Damages Our Houston Plane Accident Lawyer May Recover

In a successful lawsuit, our Houston airplane accident attorneys may win a monetary award, called damages, for the injuries that resulted from the crash. In Texas, damage awards should cover both your economic, or monetary costs, and your non-economic losses that do not have a specific dollar value. Some of the damages that may be awarded include:

  • All medical and rehabilitation expenses
  • Lost wages, current and future income
  • Physical and emotional disability
  • Pain and suffering.

Punitive damages – In some rare cases, punitive damages may also be awarded to punish a defendant who acted in an especially reckless or egregious manner and to deter such behaviors in the future.

Wrongful death – According to Texas law (Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code section 71.001), an action for wrongful death may be brought if the “wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, unskillfulness, or default” of one party causes the death of another. This means that you can file a wrongful death claim against any individual or entity that caused your family member’s death through their negligent or intentional actions. Some family members can bring survival actions, which allow for other damages, e.g., funeral expenses, loss of spousal consortium, and loss of support and affection for surviving children.

Airplane Accident Lawyer Determines What Your Case is Worth

There are a wide range of settlements possible in an aviation case, and since serious injuries and deaths may be involved, judgments may reach the millions of dollars. The value of your individual claim will depend on factors that include:

  • The severity and permanence of injuries
  • Whether a wrongful death was involved
  • The cost of medical and rehabilitation treatment
  • Lost income and out-of-pocket costs
  • Emotional trauma suffered
  • The age, earning capacity, and family situation of victims
  • The availability of insurance coverage and assets of the defendants
  • The skill and negotiating ability of your attorney.

In general, the more permanent and severe the injury, the greater the monetary costs and impact on your life, the higher the recovery may be. Our Houston airplane accident attorneys will examine all factors involved to determine an approximation of what type of settlement should be involved.

Airplane Accident Lawyers in Houston Must Prove Negligence

To win your case, our airplane accident lawyers in Houston must prove negligence legally by showing the following elements:

  • Duty: The defendant had a duty not to cause injury.
  • Breach: The defendant breached this duty by actions or failure to act.
  • Cause: This breach caused your injuries.
  • Damages: You suffered actual damages as a result.

Passenger airlines are regulated by the FAA. In order to remain in business, common carrier airlines must exercise the highest degree of care and diligence in the safety of their passengers. When an accident occurs, this highest degree of care creates a much lower threshold necessary to prove that injured or deceased passengers’ estates must be compensated for defendant negligence.

When they fail in their duty, a claim for negligent supervision can be filed against the airline or other company responsible for the employee who caused the accident. The same liabilities can apply to aircraft owners or service companies that contract third-party maintenance personnel.

Airlines are liable for the negligence of their employees, including pilots, safety inspectors, flight attendants, and others. Also, the government may be responsible for the failures of air traffic controllers, FAA officials, or regulatory authorities. Manufacturers can also be held accountable for defects in the construction of the plane or its safety and testing procedures. In addition, according to the FAA (FAA FAR 91.3), the pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for the operation of that aircraft and may be liable for a crash if negligent.

Lawsuits usually name airline companies, airports, major aircraft manufacturers, and/or the federal government as defendants. Since airplane accidents have multiple potentially negligent parties, our legal team will seek to identify them all, as they all may have assets and insurance that can go toward a settlement.

Common Causes of Airplane Crashes

Depending on the circumstances, the most common causes of aircraft crashes, both private and commercial, include:

  • Pilot error – A commercial pilot makes a decision that another reasonably responsible person of his profession would not make, either intentionally or unintentionally; e.g., a pilot failed to read or listen to directions, made a course correction error, misjudged weather conditions, or something else. And general aviation accidents which might initially point to pilot error can sometimes – upon further investigation – be attributed to other factors such as those below.
  • Faulty equipment – Cockpit instruments or airframe components can suddenly fail while in flight. Improper aircraft design, manufacture, or instrument maintenance could lead to a crash, which could mean a defective product or negligent maintenance lawsuit.
  • Fueling errors – Fuel mismanagement, contamination, or improper fuel has led to many airplane crashes.
  • Air traffic control errors – Our crowded skies can lead to controller errors, such as  spacing aircraft too close to each other; ground controllers may lose track of a taxiing plane which then collides with another.
  • FAA violations – by pilot or traffic controller – Violation of aviation guidelines can cause or directly contribute to fatal air accidents.
  • Negligent maintenance or repair – Maintenance records and logbooks must be diligently maintained to record an aircraft’s maintenance history. They are an important part of any post-crash investigation. Because private planes and helicopters do not typically have “black boxes,” this is especially vital in general aviation accidents.

Determining the cause of an aviation accident can take several months or even more than a year. Injured victims or surviving family members must wait until the cause is determined before knowing what – if any – legal action can be taken.

Our Houston airplane accident lawyers know the most common causes of crashes, how to investigate and identify them, and whom to hold accountable in an aviation accident. Some parties who can be liable in an aviation accident, include the:

  • Pilot
  • Airline
  • Private aviation company
  • Maintenance and service operation
  • Air traffic controller
  • Airplane manufacturer.

Get Help from Our Airplane Accident Attorney

Laws involving airplane accidents are complicated, and making mistakes can be costly, so it makes sense to have a seasoned aviation attorney fight for the compensation you deserve. At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, we work closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigators as they gather evidence, review reports and photos, and speak with expert witnesses, etc. Two attorneys are licensed pilots, with more than 65 years of combined aircraft flight time and more than 14,000 logged flight hours. Both have Federal Aviation Regulation training and are cleared to fly several multi-engine Boeing aircraft.

When you have us on your side, our airplane accident attorneys in Houston act immediately to collect crucial evidence such as radar information, all air traffic control recordings, and administrative and maintenance records of the plane in question, and also to quickly consult with aviation experts, depose witnesses, and work closely with FAA investigators.

We identify all types of damages you may be eligible to recover and fight for optimum compensation. Don’t delay. Call our aviation accident attorneys immediately at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 to arrange a free evaluation of your case.

Attorney Terry Bryant

Attorney Terry BryantTerry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ Attorney Bio ]