One Dead and Two Missing after Tourist Helicopter Crashes into the Ocean in Hawaii – Helicopter Crash Wrongful Death Lawyers
One person is dead and two others are still missing after a Hawaiian tourist helicopter crashed into the water off the coast of Kauai. The helicopter has been identified as a Robinson R44 chopper operated by Ali’I Kauai Air Tours & Charters. Reportedly, the chopper crashed into the ocean at around 1:20pm, Thursday (July 11, 2024). According to the Coast Guard, a hiker on the Kalalau Trail saw the crash and notified authorities; this lead to a search of the Na Pali Coast by both the US Coast Guard and local authorities.
According to local authorities, “preliminary information indicates that the pilot on board was a local resident, and the two passengers on board are believed to be visitors from the mainland.” One body was located in the water hours after the crash, but the two others on board the helicopter at the time of the crash are still missing.
Unfortunately, these types of incidents are becoming increasingly common. Although helicopter tours are definitely a popular attraction in Hawaii, there are different issues that could make these tours dangerous. In most cases, helicopter incidents leading to crashes are fatal. If a member of your family died in a helicopter crash, you could have the right to file a wrongful death claim. For more information about the legal options available to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to the experts here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group as soon as possible.
Our team at the Downtown L.A. Law Group has decades of experience and is ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights after losing a loved one in a helicopter crash. Our lawyers are fully committed to fighting for your rights and securing the compensation that you are owed. If you are ready to speak with our experts, contact us today.
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Helicopter crashes generally lead to life-threatening injuries which are often fatal. Although these accidents are all different, victims could potentially suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, crushing injuries, impaling injuries, burn injuries, drowning, and more. In most cases, victims die on impact.
Possible Causes of Helicopter CrashesSome of the potential causes of helicopter crashes can include the following:
- Pilot error
- Mechanical failures
- Electrical failures
- Poor weather conditions
- Helicopter defects
This is a very important question. Liability for these incidents is based on the specific details surrounding the incident. This means that the pilot company, the tour company, the helicopter owners, and even the helicopter manufacturer could be liable.
Consider the following:
- Helicopter manufacturer liability – if the incident is caused by a helicopter defect, specifically a defect present in the helicopter’s design, manufacturing, or labeling, then the manufacturer could be liable for failing to ensure that their products were safe to be used.
- Helicopter owner liability – helicopter owners (when they are separate from the tour company) can be liable for negligently chartering their helicopters and failing to ensure that their helicopters met all safety guidelines or were safe to operate.
- Tour company liability – tour companies have a few responsibilities, including ensuring that their pilots are properly trained/licensed, that all helicopters used are safe to operate, and that helicopters are not operated in inclement weather, for example.
- Pilot company liability – pilot companies have to ensure that their pilots have licenses, the necessary training, clear background checks, etc.
Although all of these can be involved, every situation is different. For example, the tour company could own their helicopters and directly hire their own pilots, so no other entities could be involved. Since establishing liability is such a major part of determining whether victims can pursue claims, we recommend that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible to learn more about the legal options available to you.
Can I File a Lawsuit for Helicopter Crash Wrongful Death?Yes – if a member of your family died in a helicopter crash, you could have the right to file a wrongful death claim. Specifically, you could have the right to sue if the death occurred as a result of the negligence or recklessness of a party/entity. For more information about your right to file a lawsuit, please do not hesitate to reach out to our legal team as soon as possible. What Compensation is Available for Helicopter Crash Wrongful Death Claims?
Some of the categories of compensation for helicopter accident wrongful death lawsuits can include the following:
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
- Legal costs
Based on the details surrounding these claims, claim values could range anywhere from $250,000 to $1.5 million or even more. For more information about the possible value of your helicopter crash wrongful death claim, contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. Our team is more than ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to begin or continue your claim and recover the maximum payout available. Whether our experts have to negotiate a settlement or go to trial to reach a verdict, you can trust that our team will do everything necessary to secure a payout and get justice for losing your loved one in such a tragic incident.
In Hawaii, wrongful death claims are subject to a two-year statute of limitations, meaning that claimants will only have two years to file their claims. If claimants do not file their claims on time, they can lose their right to sue entirely. To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the total length of time that you have to file your claim, contact us today.
Contact the DTLA Law Group TodayIf you are ready to discuss your claim with our aviation crash lawyers, contact us today. Our helicopter crash experts are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with the guidance that you need to take action. Here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group, our team has decades of experience and is ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to seek justice. We offer free case evaluations, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns – and provide you with all the information necessary to begin or continue your claim. To schedule a free case evaluation, contact us today.
Zero-Fee Guarantee: our clients will never be required to pay any upfront legal fees for any of our legal services. In addition, we work on contingency, so our clients will not be responsible for paying any legal costs if their claims are not successful. If you do not win, you simply will not be required to pay anything.
If you are ready to speak with our helicopter crash lawyers, contact us today.