Aviation cases are rare, catastrophic, and procedurally unlike anything else on this site: a federal investigation usually runs ahead of any lawsuit, liability may sit with pilots, owners, maintenance shops, or manufacturers, and the governing law can shift between state and federal frameworks. What they share with our other work: the family’s need for answers and financial security.
How These Cases Actually Proceed
- The NTSB investigates first. The National Transportation Safety Board determines probable cause — its docket becomes core case material, though civil liability is decided separately by the courts.
- Regulations frame duty. The FAA’s rules on pilot certification, maintenance, and operations define the standards defendants are measured against.
- Defendants multiply. Charter operators, flight schools, owners, mechanics, and component manufacturers each carry separate coverage — and product claims against manufacturers follow their own doctrine.
- Most cases are general aviation — small planes, charters, helicopters — where thin corporate structures make early asset-and-insurance work decisive. Fatal cases proceed with the wrongful death framework.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should we wait for the NTSB report before doing anything?
No — the report can take a year or more, while evidence, witnesses, and filing deadlines don’t wait. The civil case builds in parallel, then incorporates what the investigation yields.
The crash was in another state. Can a Pennsylvania firm handle it?
Aviation cases routinely cross state lines — where suit belongs depends on the defendants, the flight, and the law. That threshold analysis is part of the free consultation, including honest advice if another venue and local counsel serve you better.
Do these rules apply to helicopter and medical-flight accidents?
Yes — the same investigation-first, multiple-defendant structure applies, with medical-transport cases sometimes adding hospital and contractor defendants.
How long do I have to file?
Generally two years under Pennsylvania law — with a six-month written-notice requirement for claims against government entities and special rules for minors and late-discovered injuries. Evidence fades faster than any deadline.
What does hiring you cost?
No attorney’s fee unless we recover for you; the contingency percentage and case-cost handling are in the written fee agreement you review before signing. Consultations are free.
Ready to talk about your case? Call (215) 464-4600 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation — contingency fee, no attorney’s fee unless we recover, costs explained in the written fee agreement.