If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a helicopter crash then call us for a Free Initial Consultation. Talk to a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer in Texas with over 20 years of personal injury and wrongful death lawsuit experience. Know your rights under the law. Call to find out your rights to a personal injury claim, wrongful death lawsuit or other legal action. Call Now or E-mail us.
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If you have been injured, Talk to a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer, certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1988. It cost you nothing to discuss your case or ask a question to a Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney in Texas. No Fees or Court Costs or Expenses charged to the client unless we obtain a recovery. (Contact A Board
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What are the common causes of helicopter crash accidents ? These include an inexperienced helicopter pilot, poorly trained helicopter mechanics, negligent operation of the helicopter, poor weather conditions, operating with excessive loads, negligent maintenance, excessive hours on the turbine, engine, main rotor head, tail rotor, driveshaft, rotor gear box, intermediate gear box, or tail rotor gear box, worn or overloaded cam shaft & crankshaft, repeated over speed of engine resulting in valve seat failure, failure of splines on the drive shaft and water contamination in the fuel.

Other sources of helicopter accidents may be a helicopter owner's failure to properly address concerns in airworthiness directives, the helicopter pilots failure to place the craft into an autorotation, fuel exhaustion, failure to maintain control during autorotation, inadequate service bulletin warnings, improper use of the collective, inadequate communication / coordination between the flight crew and ground personnel, failure to properly react to a loss of engine power or in flight loss of power, failure to follow flight plan, loss of tail rotor control, loss of directional control, failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm, flight engineer's inadequate visual lookout, improper use of the rotorcraft cyclic control and pilot's failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing.

In a helicopter crash lawsuit, who are the defendants that are brought into a helicopter crash negligence & products liability cases ? The best answer is, all responsible parties which can include the helicopter owner, helicopter operator, charter service, contractor, helicopter engine rebuilder, parts manufacturer, mechanics, and others that are determined to caused or contributed to the helicopter crash. Litigation involving helicopter crash injuries and deaths have include crashes of a weather helicopter, traffic report helicopter, radio / television station helicopter, medical helicopter, EMS helicopter, news helicopter, offshore helicopter charter service to oil rig platforms and ships, tour helicopters for sightseeing, search & rescue helicopter, ER helicopter, transport helicopter, and certain military helicopters.

Everyday throughout the world a person in seriously injured or killed as a result of a helicopter crash or aviation accident. After extensive investigations it is often determined that the helicopter pilot or charter company was at fault. In other helicopter crashes, the cause may be in a defective helicopter part, a poorly maintained craft, a defective design of the helicopter, or from use of rebuild or worn out helicopter parts. In order to prevail in a helicopter or general aviation crash case we must prove whose fault caused in whole or in part the crash. In order to do this, aviation engineers, helicopter crash experts and accident investigators must be hired to study the facts of the case, interview witness to determine what or who caused the helicopter to crash. Aviation accidents involve legal theories and remedies under products liability and negligence causes of actions. Due to the nature of the injuries involved and the complexity of the product itself, often it is necessary to gather a team of legal and engineering experts in order to accelerate and push the client's case to trial or settlement.

HELICOPTER CRASH - PRODUCTS LIABILITY ATTORNEY

The Willis Law Firm is a Texas-based law firm with a strong national presence and recognition. David P. Willis has gained a national reputation as a leading personal injury lawyer with a heavy emphasis in major products liability injury cases. His legal and educational background includes:

• Baylor University (BA 1978)
• South Texas College of Law (JD 1982)
• State Bar Of Texas (Admitted to Bar in 1983)
• Supreme Court of Texas - Briefing Attorney (1983-1984)
• Vice President- Harris County Bar Association (1984-1985)
• Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer (Certified since 1988)
• American Trial Lawyers Association (Member since 1988)
• Texas Bar Foundation (Member since 1996)
• United States Patent Holder

 Our client, Mark McClain was aboard a Transport Helicopter (Bell 206 B3) owned  and operated by Industrial Helicopter, Inc. when at approximately 8:45 AM  on Feb. 5, 1998, after only 10 minutes into the flight, a loud bang type noise was heard by all aboard followed by loss of power.  Seconds later an emergency crash was performed by the pilot from about 700-800 feet above the water. The Helicopter filled with water  and overturned. Our client, who was trapped upside down in the craft, almost drowned. He later with the help of another passenger was able to release his belt, but he suffered a serious  and  permanent spinal injury. A complete investigation was done by the FAA and it was found that "... improper # 1 Bearing Housing Retaining Ring Installed " causing in part the tie bolt to shear in the gearbox. A products liability and negligence lawsuit was filed against and Industrial Helicopter, Inc., UNC Airwork Corporation, Allision Engine Company and Lear Siegler, Inc  f/k/a  UNC Aviation Services. Inc.  After  many months of legal discovery and court proceedings, an out-of-court settlement  against some of the  named defendants was obtained for our client. Terms of the Settlement were made Confidential.

  BELL 206L-3 HELICOPTER CRASH INTO GULF OF MEXICO OFFSHORE LOUISIANA. (Willis Client - Severely Injured) Forced landing into water following loss of power.  Helicopter pilot initiated autorotation to the water, but Bell 206 sustained a hard landing due to loss of hydraulics. Pilot attempted deployment of helicopter floats, but upon inspection the floatation  was not deployed.NTSB determined pilot's failure to maintain proper main rotor RPM, but the reason for loss of power to the Rolls Royce Allison 250-C30P engine was not determined.

  BELL 407 HELICOPTER CRASH -OFF COAST OF TEXAS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO (Willis Client - Severely Injured) On Feb.16, 2003 a Bell 407 used as an air taxi to transport offshore oil rig workers experienced a loss of power and was forced to land offshore in the frigid winter waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The helicopter pilot and one passenger died from their injuries and exposure. Three other passengers suffered serious injuries. (Case Pending) 

  AUGUSTA A-109-K2 EMS HELICOPTER CRASH UTAH (Willis Client-Killed) On Jan.10, 2003 an Augusta A-109 air ambulance helicopter operating as LifeFlight 6 crashed in dense fog near Salt Lake City, Utah. The Life Flight medical helicopter pilot and one paramedic were killed in the crash. The helicopter pilot was unable to obtain clearance and was forced to requested to hold, when the emergency mayday call was declared for the ER helicopter. (Case Pending)

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  If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a helicopter crash or any other type of aviation accident, then call us toll free and discuss what legal actions and remedies may be available to you and your family. No attorneys fees or expenses charged unless we obtain a recovery for you !!

Mr. Willis is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

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