New information regarding commercial airplane crashes and fatalities points to some good news. A report has indicated that the number of deaths in commercial jet crashes dropped substantially between 2016 and 2017. While the report indicated far fewer fatalities, the information also served as a reminder of how dangerous being an airplane crew member can be, since nearly 45% of the deaths last year were crew members. If you’ve lost a loved one in a fatal air crash, it is important to take prompt action, including retaining a skilled Illinois aviation accident attorney.
The Aviation Safety Network’s recently released report regarding commercial airline crashes and deaths, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, showed that 2017 was, overall, a good year for airplane safety worldwide. In 2017, there were 44 deaths arising from 10 crashes. The year before, there were 16 fatal crashes, but those crashes led to many, many more deaths (303).
According to the network, the rate of fatal airline crashes has been dropping steadily and continues to do so. On “average, for every 7 million flights worldwide, there is one fatality,” the Times reported. None of those fatalities took place in the United States. 2017 was the fourth consecutive year in which there were no deaths in commercial jet crashes in this country. The last time a commercial jet crash caused fatalities was in 2013, when an Asiana Airlines flight crashed on its final approach in San Francisco. The crash killed three passengers, all of whom were Chinese teenagers.
The last crash aboard an American commercial passenger jet took place at O’Hare Airport in the fall of 2016. During that flight, an American Airlines 767 suffered an uncontained engine failure during takeoff. The pilot aborted the takeoff, but the flight injured 19 passengers and one flight attendant.
While the network’s numbers demonstrate some positive trends regarding airplane safety, they also indicate just how risky being an airline employee can be. Despite the fact that passengers aboard commercial jets outnumber crew members by a very large ratio, the numbers of deaths that occurred in 2017 were almost equal; 25 passengers died last year, as compared to 19 crew members.
In situations in which a person dies in an airplane crash, that person’s loved ones may be entitled to compensation for the loss they suffered. In general, a deceased person’s spouse and children can sue those responsible for the crash. If the deceased person did not leave behind a surviving spouse, the children can pursue the case. Next in line, if there were no surviving children or spouse, are the person’s parents and, after that, siblings.
In Illinois, a plaintiff in a wrongful death lawsuit can potentially recover whatever a jury decides is “fair and just compensation” for the losses the loved one suffered. This includes grief, sorrow, and mental suffering. The law does not, however, allow for the recovery of punitive damages.
If you have been hurt in an aviation accident, you need attorneys who have the knowledge and experience to succeed. The skilled Chicago plane crash attorneys at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca have been helping people hurt aboard airplanes for many years. To set up a free case evaluation, contact us at 312-724-5846 or through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Computer Glitch leaves American Airlines scrambling to find pilots for holiday flights, Chicago Injury Attorneys Blog, Nov. 30, 2017
Cook County Jury Awards $115 Million to Trio of Flight Crew Members Killed Transporting Military Vehicles, Chicago Injury Attorneys Blog, Nov. 28, 2017