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Since their invention approximately one century ago, airplanes have become a very popular way to travel, especially when traveling overseas. According to the International Air Transport Association, billions of people fly in an airplane annually, which makes it one of the most widely-used forms of transportation in the world. Airplanes offer a fast, relatively affordable way to get from one destination to another, so their popularity is understandable.

But just like any other form of transportation, airplanes can be very dangerous. Aircraft fly at altitudes of about 30,000 feet, and travel at speeds of about 500 mph. This means that if anything goes wrong during the flight, the passengers of the airplane are going to suffer a very long drop towards an impact with the ground or ocean at speeds that dwarf the fastest car collisions.

The danger involved with plane crashes emphasizes the importance of extreme care and attention to detail on the part of everyone involved with the plane- the designers, mechanics, pilots, etc. Pilots should be especially cautious, since, according to one study, pilot error is the cause of more than half of all plane crashes.

Even though plane crashes are almost never the fault of the passengers (except, perhaps, in the case of terrorist hijackings), passengers that survive a crash, or the family members of passengers that don’t, are almost always undercompensated. According to the Rand Corporation, the average compensation that plane crash victims receive is about $300,000 a person.This may seem like a lot, but it is only about half of the amount that is calculated for the economic loss of life, and these figures don’t even factor in emotional or psychological anguish.

We need to make sure that airline companies protect our family members, and take our safety seriously. We have no other control over the safety procedures involved in flight than to hold the experts accountable. If you have a loved one that has recently perished in a plane or helicopter accident, please seek legal help immediately. The amount of time you wait to seek legal compensation may determine how much compensation you receive.

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