Airplane or helicopter accidents usually result in serious injuries or death. The Chicago aviation accident attorneys at Smith LaCien LLP have the experience needed in any aviation case and can help you win the compensation you deserve for your injuries or the loss of a loved one. Contact us today to schedule a free case consultation.
The Chicago aviation accident attorneys at Smith LaCien LLP have a long history of representing aircraft disaster victims and their families. Our attorneys have been involved in aviation litigation since the 1980s, investigating and pursuing cases arising from crashes across the globe, representing Americans and residents of more than a dozen countries. We have pursued cases against the biggest names in the aviation industry, including Boeing, Airbus, United Airlines, American Airlines, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins, and others. The cases have involved failures in all facets of the aviation industry, including operations, maintenance, equipment manufacturing, ground operations, and air traffic control.
Each aviation incident is different, and investigations are commonly done by government agencies with input from aircraft operators and/or manufacturers. It is critical that the injured party or the families of the decedents receive an independent, in-depth investigation to identify the root cause of the crash and provide a detailed analysis of the wreckage. These details are critical to determining causation and proving a case in a court of law. The attorneys at Smith LaCien have demonstrated a history of investigating aviation incidents and the experience to determine the likely causes of the event.
Smith LaCien LLP founding and managing partner Todd A. Smith and aviation partner Brian LaCien are well-known for their expertise in handling high-profile injury cases, including aviation cases.
Todd A. Smith is the founding and managing partner of Smith LaCien. With more than 44 years of trial practice, including 35 years of aviation practice, he has represented passengers, pilots, flight attendants, and their families in the courts throughout the United States. He has served on the court-appointed Steering Committees in major air disaster lawsuits, including Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. He also served on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee for the Ethiopian Airlines #302 crash He is a past president of the American Association for Justice and past chair of its Aviation Section. He helped establish AAJ’s Trial Lawyers Care and provided pro bono services to scores of families following the 9/11 attack on our country when two passenger planes crashed into New York City’s Twin Towers, killing almost 3,000 people.
Brian LaCien is a founding partner at Smith LaCien where his practice is limited to individuals and families in wrongful death cases, including catastrophic personal injury and aviation cases. He has been involved in major aviation litigation, including the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. He is a past Chair of the Aviation Section of the American Association for Justice and a past chair of the Tort Section of the Illinois State Bar Association. He was selected as Lawyer of the Year – Aviation in the Chicago metro area by The Best Lawyers in America®, a premier attorney rating guide.
Smith LaCien LLP co-counseled with Kriendler and Kriendler of NY, on behalf of victims of an international aviation crash.
Our Chicago aviation accident lawyers represented an injured pilot and the parents of a passenger who died as a result of a crash caused by a cabin door failure during landing.
Smith LaCien LLP represented the family of the pilot of a helicopter who died in an unwitnessed crash. The reconstruction of this product liability case showed that ball bearings in the tail rotator jammed, causing the driveshaft to fracture, resulting in the inability to control the aircraft.
Aviation law is a broad practice area that covers many types of claims. First and foremost, it includes those who are injured in crashes. It also deals with those who were injured from falling luggage, beverage cart injuries, and trip-and-falls on a plane. If you or a loved one has been involved in an aviation accident, you have legal options.
These cases are especially difficult because airlines often have access to many professionals, such as those at their insurance company, who will fiercely defend their clients and try to offer the lowest possible settlement. We can analyze your case and discuss all potential solutions. Our Chicago personal injury attorneys will not back down from a challenge. No matter where you are in the legal process, lawyers at Smith LaCien LLP will act as your strongest possible advocate every step of the way.
Any party whose negligent actions either cause or contribute to a plane crash can be held legally liable for the accident. Parties that normally share in that responsibility include:
If your aviation accident resulted in the death of a family member or a loved one, please reach out to our wrongful death lawyers in Chicago who can help guide you through the legal process.
In a claim based on negligence, an injured victim must prove the following elements of negligence to win the case:
The overall goal of personal injury law is to make the injured person whole, meaning to restore them as much as possible to the condition they were in before the accident occurred. Financial compensation to the victim is not a gift. It is based on the actual damages which the victim can prove that they suffered as a result of their injury. An experienced Chicago aviation accident attorney can help you attain the maximum amount of damages recoverable by law.
In aviation accident cases, getting access to the information you need to prove your case can be difficult even for the most experienced lawyers. The aviation industry is highly regulated, and the operation and maintenance of aircraft are very technical and complex. These claims usually require the input of aviation experts.
Expert witnesses are specialists in a particular field who are used in nearly every complex, high-stakes legal case to help determine causation. They review information about a case and form an opinion to help lawyers prove that the accident was foreseeable and that the defendant failed their duty of care to avoid it.
Our experienced, dedicated Chicago product liability attorneys promptly and thoroughly investigate our aviation cases to preserve evidence, determine fault, and assess liability on behalf of injured individuals and the families of those killed in airplane crashes. Smith LaCien’s lengthy history of representing victims of personal injury, wrongful death, and medical malpractice has resulted in more than $3 billion in verdicts and settlements and hundreds of cases resulting in at least $1 million in compensation.
Smith LaCien offers free, no-obligation consultations to accident victims and their families. We also handle cases on a contingency basis, which means you don’t pay us anything unless we obtain results. To learn more about how we can help, call us at (312) 509-8900 or contact us using our online form.