Looking for an Alaska small plane accident lawyer after a crash? The Law Office of Jason Skala, LLC investigates aviation injury claims for seriously injured passengers and families across Alaska. Jason Skala has more than 20 years of personal injury experience. Call 907-569-6633 or request a free consultation through our contact page. You pay no attorney fee unless the firm recovers compensation for you.
Alaska Aviation Accident Resources
If you are researching an Alaska aviation accident claim, these resources may help:
- Airline injury claims in Alaska: Learn about legal issues in commercial airline injury cases.
- What an Anchorage injury lawyer looks for after a plane crash: Review common investigation questions after a crash.
- What to know about liability, compensation, and next steps after a small airplane accident: Explore claim issues for victims and families.
- When to call a small airplane accident attorney in Homer: Review when to seek case-specific guidance.
- Small airplane accidents in Kenai: Learn what injured passengers should know and what to do next.
Alaskan residents often utilize small commercial aircrafts in order to get to and from work each day. Due to this, Alaska has one of the highest airplane crash rates in the nation, with over 100 plane crashes occurring here every year. Plane crashes have become such a common occurrence in Alaska that in 2016 the Federal Aviation Administration issued a warning to the charter and commuter air operators in Alaska in response to a year-long spike in the number of aviation accidents in the state.
Plane accidents in Alaska are often the result of unforeseen circumstances that arise due to the difficult terrain and treacherous weather in the state. However, human error often plays a large role in the causation of these plane accidents. Whether they take place as the result of direct pilot error, maintenance crew negligence, or the errors and/or carelessness of the aircraft’s manufacturer, passengers often suffer serious and sometimes fatal injuries.
What Happens During an NTSB Small-Plane Accident Investigation?
When the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates an aircraft accident, its role is to examine what happened and identify safety issues. Depending on the circumstances, investigators may review the accident scene, aircraft and component evidence, flight and maintenance records, weather information, and witness accounts. The process can include collecting facts, analyzing them, and preparing a report that identifies the NTSB’s probable cause. The steps and timing vary from one investigation to another.
An NTSB investigation is a safety investigation. Its findings do not, by themselves, decide civil liability or determine what compensation an injured person or family may recover. The evidence and legal issues in a civil claim must be evaluated separately. If you or a family member was affected by an Alaska aircraft accident, preserve relevant documents and speak with an attorney about your situation.
What Evidence Can Help Explain an Alaska Plane Accident?
Evidence can become harder to locate as time passes. When it is safe and practical, keep copies of records and information that may help explain what happened. Depending on the accident, this may include:
- Travel documents, tickets, receipts, and communications about the flight.
- Names and contact information for witnesses.
- Photographs or video of visible injuries, the location, or relevant conditions, if they can be obtained safely and lawfully.
- Medical records, bills, and information about time missed from work.
- Any messages or documents received from an aircraft operator, insurer, or other organization.
Do not enter a restricted accident area, disturb wreckage, or put yourself at risk to collect evidence. An attorney can help identify what records may be relevant and how to request or preserve them appropriately.
Who May Be Responsible for a Small-Aircraft Accident?
Responsibility depends on the facts and evidence in each case. Depending on the circumstances, an investigation may consider the conduct or responsibilities of an aircraft operator, pilot, maintenance provider, manufacturer, or another party. More than one issue or party may need to be evaluated. Weather or a mechanical problem alone does not answer the legal question of whether someone was negligent or otherwise responsible.
Small-aircraft accidents can involve technical questions about operations, maintenance, aircraft components, and the events leading up to the flight. The Law Office of Jason Skala, LLC represents people with serious personal injuries and families after wrongful death. Learn more about airline injury cases or attorney Jason Skala.
How Are Injury, Survival, and Wrongful-Death Claims Different?
A person who survives an aircraft accident may have a personal-injury claim for harm caused by another party’s wrongful conduct. If someone dies, Alaska law provides a separate wrongful-death action brought by the decedent’s personal representative for the benefit of eligible family members or dependents. A separate survival action may preserve certain claims the person could have brought before death, through the personal representative as provided by Alaska law. A survival action and a wrongful-death action are different claims. Who may bring or benefit from each claim, and what damages may be considered, depend on the facts and applicable law.
Deadlines and legal requirements can apply, and the right approach depends on the circumstances. Families and injured survivors should speak with an attorney promptly about their options. For more information, see our Alaska wrongful-death page.
Alaska Small Airplane Accident FAQs
Does the NTSB decide who is legally at fault?
No. The NTSB investigates transportation safety and may identify a probable cause in its report. That report does not itself decide civil liability or a person’s right to compensation.
How long does an NTSB investigation take?
Timing varies with the facts, complexity, and investigative workload. The NTSB describes its process as involving fact gathering, analysis, and report preparation, and investigations may take different amounts of time. A particular investigation’s completion date cannot be predicted from a general estimate.
What should I preserve after an Alaska plane accident?
Keep relevant travel and flight communications, witness contact details, photographs lawfully and safely obtained, and records of medical care and related expenses. Do not enter a restricted site or disturb evidence. An attorney can advise on steps suited to the specific accident.
Can an injured survivor bring a claim if another passenger died?
An injured survivor may have a personal-injury claim, while a deceased passenger’s estate or eligible beneficiaries may have separate rights under Alaska law. Each claim depends on its own facts, responsible parties, and legal requirements. A lawyer can review how the claims may relate to one another.
Who can bring a wrongful-death action in Alaska?
Alaska law generally provides for a wrongful-death action by the decedent’s personal representative, for the benefit of eligible family members or dependents as provided by law. Who may benefit and what steps apply depend on the circumstances. Families should get legal guidance about their situation and any deadlines.
Talk with an Alaska Aviation Accident Attorney
If you or someone in your family was seriously injured or died in an aircraft accident, you can request a free consultation with The Law Office of Jason Skala, LLC. The firm handles serious personal-injury and wrongful-death cases on a contingency-fee basis: you pay no upfront attorney fee, and attorney fees are owed only if the firm obtains a recovery for you. A consultation is free. Every case depends on its own facts.
If you or someone you love has been injured in an Alaska plane crash, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation for your injuries and losses. Working with an Alaska plane accident attorney is your best bet in receiving full and fair financial compensation for your injuries and the resulting damages that they have caused.
Plane accidents require in-depth investigations into extremely technical engineering and forensic issues. What’s more, they usually require revisiting the crash site in order to complete further investigations. Laws surrounding aviation in Alaska have further complicated these aspects which is why it is imperative and in your best interest to work with an Alaska aviation lawyer with the proper skills and expertise necessary to litigate cases of this magnitude.
The Law Office of Jason Skala, LLC will evaluate, analyze, and investigate every aspect of your case necessary in order to determine who was at fault in your plane accident so that you may be awarded the financial compensation you are entitled to.
If you have lost someone you love to an Alaska aviation accident, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation for the wrongful death of your loved one depending on the circumstances of their accident. Contact us today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Your Choice of Aviation
Accident Lawyer Matters
Building an aviation accident case is significantly more complex and difficult than building a car accident. The extreme damage that may have been suffered on impact may obscure any useful evidence and increase the difficulty of building a compelling case that directly displays the true cause of injury or wrongful death.
Let’s Fight for Your Justice
Get in Touch with usBecause of this, your choice of plane crash lawyer in Alaska is important and can greatly affect the final outcome of your case. The Law Office of Jason Skala, LLC serves the largest city in Alaska, Anchorage, as well as the surrounding cities of Pt. Lay, Pt Hope, Ambler, Kiana, Anuktuvak Pass, Kivalina, Noorvik, and Selawik, among many others. We possess the knowledge necessary in order to properly position your claim during negotiations for settlement and at trial. We know how to seek an efficient yet fair claim resolution for you and your loved ones.
Jason Skala resolves every plane crash claim according to his client’s best interests and ultimate goals. He possesses the skills needed to finalize negotiations with insurance companies for top dollar amounts. He is also prepared to take a case to trial if it seems that this would help craft a more optimal outcome for you and your loved ones. His tailored approach to each unique case, immense flexibility, and complete commitment to his clients sets him apart from other attorneys in Alaska and makes him an optimum choice when seeking just financial compensation for injuries and losses suffered in aviation accidents in Alaska.
Jason Skala is also aware that in the case of a wrongful death, no amount of money can compensate for the devastating loss of your loved one. It can, however, help work for a negligent party is held accountable for their actions and can also help you get through the financial aftermath of their crash. Financial compensation can be awarded for funeral costs, outstanding medical bills, and more in a wrongful death lawsuit. It can also be awarded to you in the form of pain and suffering and other non-economic damages that may have resulted from the loss of your loved one, such as loss of consortium, and loss of life enjoyment, among others.
Aviation Accident Causes
There were over 1,300 plane accidents in the United States in 2016. Nearly every one of these crashes was found to be in general aviation rather than commercial. Regardless of the type of crash, our Anchorage law firm is here to help. Our experienced legal team will work with the authorities, investigators, and any other party necessary in order to identify the cause of the accident, determine if negligence was a factor, and prove liability. With the help of a skilled and professional aviation attorney in Anchorage, you will be able to demonstrate to a judge, insurance company, and/or jury that another person’s negligence, carelessness, or recklessness caused your injuries and resulting losses and damages, or the premature and wrongful death of a loved one of yours.
Some other common causes for plane crashes in Alaska include sabotage or terrorist activity, errors of the ground crew on duty at the time of the crash, passenger negligence or the intention to cause harm, the improper loading of plane cargo, obstructions in the runway, and fires in-flight. No matter the cause of the crash, such tragedies should never take place. Contact The Law Office of Jason Skala, LLC after suffering injury or the death of a loved one due to an aviation accident in Alaska. Put your case in our hands and we will launch a professional investigation into the cause and liability of your crash as well as gather any available evidence of negligence, and build your wrongful death or personal injury claim from the bottom up.
Some of the most common causes of aviation accidents in Alaska include, but are not limited to:
Pilot error/human error
People can cause plane crashes by mistakes such as failing to follow proper instructions while taking off or landing, as well as premature descent, missing runways, excessive speed while landing, failing to refuel, dangerous miscalculations, and navigational errors.
Malfunction of equipment
A large number of aviation accidents that take place are the result of mechanical and equipment failures. These can include engine design flaws and structure failures. Liability may be placed on a part manufacturer if the equipment defects or the plane’s owner could be held liable if the problem arose due to poor plane maintenance.
Inclement Weather
At times, the law may refer to “Acts of God” as the cause of an aviation accident. While no one person or company can be held responsible for bad weather, an aviation company or pilot could be held responsible for failing to check the weather conditions before taking off, underestimating the dangers posed by the bad weather, or failing to properly obey the procedures necessary for navigating through a storm.
