Who is Liable for Equipment Issues in Aviation Accidents?

Aviation accidents are tragedies that impact injury victims and their loved ones for the rest of their lives. One common cause of aviation accidents is equipment failure. In cases of aviation accidents caused by equipment or maintenance issues, parties other than the pilot or airline may be found liable for damages.

Pilot and Airline Liability

If an aviation accident claim involves a commercial airline, the company will most likely share some liability in the case. Even if they are not primarily at fault for an issue with equipment (for example, in cases of defects), they are ultimately responsible for the safety of their planes and would be partially liable.

Aviation accidents in private planes do not involve airline companies. In these cases, the pilot would be at least partially liable in a similar way to insurance companies in commercial aviation accidents. Like airline companies, the owners of private planes are the final step to ensuring safe flights.

Manufacturer Liability

The manufacturer of the faulty equipment will often be primarily liable in cases of equipment issues. Manufacturers have a responsibility to design and produce equipment that works properly and is safe. When companies that create airplane parts fail to do this, tragedy can result.

To prove that a manufacturer is liable for an aviation accident, plaintiffs must provide evidence that the people who designed or manufactured the equipment were negligent.

Other Third-Party Liability

There are other third parties that may be liable in cases of equipment-related aviation accidents. Although manufacturers are responsible for producing safe equipment, there are regulatory agencies that are responsible for overseeing the safety of equipment and correcting any issues. They could be at fault for an accident if their failure to fulfill their responsibilities resulted in injuries. The entities responsible for hiring and educating pilots, manufacturers, and safety officers could be liable for damages if insufficient job training caused an issue.

The attorneys at Metzger Wickersham can evaluate the details of your case to determine who is liable and whether you are entitled to compensation. Contact us to discuss your case.

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