Aviation Accidents

An aviation accident is any event that happens during the operation of a plane or aircraft that results in serious consequences or harm. While aviation accidents may involve crashes, they can also involve any incident related to the operation of the aircraft.

While air travel is generally safe, the consequences of a plane accident can be devastating. If you have been involved in an aviation incident, you may be left with physical, psychological, and financial burdens in the aftermath. When this happens, you deserve compensation. Legal representation can be incredibly useful for understanding your rights and what damages you may be entitled to pursue.

At Watson Goepel LLP, our Vancouver aviation accident lawyers help clients who have been injured while travelling on planes. Because aviation law can be complicated, you should have experienced legal representation on your side. Contact our legal team today to discuss your airplane incident and find out what legal options are available to you. We serve clients across British Columbia.

Understanding Aviation Accidents in British Columbia

Although many people think of plane crashes when it comes to aviation accidents, there are many scenarios in which injuries can occur on airplanes. For example, aviation accidents may happen during runway excursions, mid-air collisions, or in-flight medical emergencies. They can also occur on any type of aircraft, including commercial planes, private charters, helicopters, and more.

Some common causes of aviation incidents include:

Pilot or air traffic control error
Malfunctioning equipment or mechanical failure
Structural issues
Turbulence and dangerous weather conditions
Falling luggage
Faulty seats
Unruly passengers
Negligence on the part of airline staff
Security failures
And more

Jurisdictional issues are often involved in airplane accident claims. In Canada, the Montreal Convention allows individuals injured on international flights to start a legal action in their own home country as long as the airline in question operates services to or from that country. In addition, the convention sets a strict liability regime for airlines or other parties involved in aviation incidents. As a result, airplane passengers can pursue a claim for injuries they sustain even if they were sustained through no fault of the airline or its crew.

If your accident occurred on a domestic flight, the laws that apply will be different, but you may still be pursue compensation in British Columbia. This is normally possible if you are a BC resident and you purchased your flight ticket inside the province.

Services Our Aviation Injury Lawyers in Vancouver Offer

If you are injured in an airplane accident, figuring out your next steps can be difficult. Understanding aviation law and determining whether your injury is compensable will require professional legal insight. At Watson Goepel, our Vancouver aviation injury lawyers can assist with a wide range of cases.

Our aviation accident claim services include:

Conducting comprehensive case investigations, including data collection, consultations with accident reconstruction experts, and more
Filing personal injury or wrongful death claims on behalf of clients
Navigating Canadian and international aviation laws, including the Montreal Convention, Transportation Safety Board (TSB) Regulations, and more

Helping with insurance negotiations when clients require disability benefits or income replacement
Advocating for clients in court and settlement negotiations
And more

Whether you need help for an in-flight injury, a boarding/disembarking accident, or a crash, we can help. We can also pursue wrongful death claims to help compensate family members who have lost a loved one in an aviation incident.

To ensure that we can carry out a proper investigation of your case, you should contact our Personal Injury group as soon as possible following your accident. To learn how we can help you, you can call our Vancouver head office at 866-960-5548 or fill out our online contact form now.

What Compensation is Available After an Aviation Accident?

In British Columbia, aircraft passengers are entitled to pursue a wide range of compensation when they are injured on board. This is because aviation accidents often result in significant harm to individuals, like:

The type or amount of compensation you are eligible for will depend on the severity of your accident and injuries. In BC, injured claimants may recover compensation for:

Economic Damages: You may recover compensation for economic damages like medical expenses (present and future), lost wages, loss of earning capacity, property damage, and more. The total amount of economic damages you have sustained will be calculated by your lawyer with the assistance of financial experts.
Non-Economic Damages: Non-economic damages are meant to compensate you for the non-monetary, intangible losses you have incurred due to your accident. These may include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional trauma, and more. Calculating the financial value of non-economic damages can be challenging, which is why you should work with a personal injury lawyer to pursue your claim.

If you are a spouse, child, or parent of a victim who lost their life in an airplane accident, you can file a wrongful death claim. Through a wrongful death lawsuit, you may pursue specific economic and non-economic damages to compensate you for your loss. These include: