The maritime and oil refinery industries are safer and more efficient thanks to aerial vehicles such as helicopters, but with increased use of these vehicles, more accidents continue to injure those involved. When this happens, hurt people have the right to file suit with counsel from a seasoned maritime injury attorney.
Helicopters are invaluable to any shipping or offshore endeavor because they operate in tight spaces and can take off and land vertically from the deck of a ship. However, the crash rate for helicopters is 35 percent higher than the rate for planes, including single-engine piston planes. When you are injured in a crash or other mishap, a Cut Off helicopter accident lawyer could help you get paid for your injuries.
Helicopters and the Maritime and Oil Refinery Industries
Because helicopters fly low over open water, they are ideal for search and rescue missions. For instance, they can help people escape when an offshore oil rig catches fire, and they help locate shipwrecks and distressed vessels. Helicopters are also used to:
- Transport people to and from offshore oil rigs
- Deliver supplies and repair parts to offshore platforms
- Provide surveillance information to naval fleets
- Conduct oil rig and other offshore platform inspections for maintenance and safety concerns
Helicopter accidents can cause catastrophic injuries, and those injured in them should not have to pay for medical care and deplete their savings to cover bills while recovering. A Cut Off helicopter accident attorney could determine whether a negligent party is responsible or whether federal law covers your losses.
Federal Law
The state requires almost all businesses to carry workers’ compensation insurance or qualify for self-insurance, which pays for care and a portion of lost wages when an employee is injured at work or contracts a work-related illness. Instead of workers’ compensation, many seamen and oil riggers are covered by federal law when they are injured. The Jones Act of 1920 and the Longshore Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act offer similar benefits.
Negligence and Mechanical Failure
Two of the most common causes of helicopter accidents are human error and mechanical failure. Pilots and maintenance crews have a duty to behave as a reasonable person would, which involves keeping others safe in situations they control. When a pilot makes a tactical mistake and causes an accident with injuries, our attorneys could seek monetary damages based on negligence. When the helicopter was not properly inspected or crucial maintenance was not performed, negligence could also be a factor.
When a helicopter is flawed by design or mistakes happened during manufacturing, even when negligence is not a factor, a person injured because of the flaws may be eligible for a financial award from a defective product claim. Talk to a helicopter accident lawyer in Cut Off when you are injured in a helicopter accident.
Speak With a Cut Off Helicopter Accident Attorney
Helicopters are great assets to several industries, including maritime and those using offshore platforms such as oil rigs or wind farms, but they are also hard to control and do not fly well in bad weather. The drawbacks contribute to crashes that can leave you severely injured and in need of money to pay your expenses.
When you are injured because someone was negligent, a helicopter was defective, or you are a maritime or dock worker, we want to help you get the money you need for medical care, lost wages, and the emotional turmoil we know you are feeling. Whether you are in pain or your doctor says you won’t fully recover, contact a Cut Off helicopter accident lawyer at Scott Vicknair who can find a way forward for you. Remember, you don’t pay us a cent unless we win your case.
