Shock, Awe following Plane Crash in Buffalo, New York. Lawsuits Likely to Follow

Staff Writer, Feb 13, 2009

In the past month, a pair of New York plane crashes have shook the American public, each with very different outcomes.  The first, the Hudson River plane crash, culminated in a spectacular crash landing in the river, which resulted in no deaths and minor injuries among passengers.  For passengers of the most recent New York plane crash located near Buffalo, the outcome was completely reversed.  In fact, according to NTSB investigators, all forty-nine passengers and crew members, as well as one resident of the house that the plane descended into, have been killed in the plane accident that occurred at 10:20 p.m. on Thursday.  Investigators are now suggesting that icing of the plane’s wings may have facilitated a chain reaction of loss of aircraft control, a plummeting loss of altitude, and essentially, a nose-dive vertical descent from the sky into a suburban Buffalo neighborhood.  All passengers are reported dead, and of the persons living in the home at the time, one has died and two more remain hospitalized.

The Buffalo plane crash, a Continental Connection Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J., leaves many open ended questions at this point, most notably surrounding the exact cause and chain of events prior to the fall from the cause, but also, who can be held legally responsible for the deaths of passengers and the losses suffered by families of the victims?  It’s likely that wrongful death and aviation accident law suits are likely to follow. In many instances in the past, icing has been attributed to numerous fatal plane accidents, however, the NTSB statistics show that the Buffalo crash was the first commercial aircraft crash resulting in fatalities since 2007.  The deaths of the passengers, as well as all pilots, crew members, and the individual in the home at the scene of the crash site, undoubtedly all have grieving family members today that will more than likely demand justice and make claims for damages following their losses.  This is completely understandable, however, the question of what exactly are their legal rights following this accident remains unanswered.

Until more is learned and firmly ascertained regarding the Buffalo plane crash, victims’ loved ones must wait to proceed.  However, having an aviation accident attorney at their side during the entire process is essential.  Making the correct legal decision today, only a few hours following the crash itself, may prove vital in making substantiated damage claims in the future.  Though the 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft operated by Colgan Air is reputed to have had a perfect safety record in the past, the results of the accident stand proof to some negligence or fault resulting in grave and fatal consequences.  If you or your loved ones have questions regarding your rights following an aviation accident, contact an aviation attorney right away today.