Here’s the pre-emption argument:
Our plane’s design was approved by the FAA. If plaintiffs think there is something wrong with it, they should take it up with the FAA. But they should leave us alone.”
Manufacturers make this argument in just about every aviation case we bring. We respond that that the FAA
Injured passengers have filed suit against Spirit Airlines in connection with last month’s drunken melee on board a flight from Baltimore to LAX. The plaintiffs, represented by Los Angeles attorney Gloria
Allred, seek to hold Spirit Airlines responsible for the conduct of the unruly passengers who injured them because Spirit Airlines allegedly fueled the
Aviation manufacturers have long argued that victims should not be permitted to sue for aircraft design defects because, before any manufacturer’s aircraft leaves the ground, its design has to be approved and certified by the FAA. If the aircraft’s design is good enough for the FAA’s engineers, they argue, it should be good enough for the court system. Judges
Mackinac Island, Michigan, located in Lake Huron, is 8.2 miles around. The only way onto the island is by boat or, better yet, general aviation aircraft. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the island. Everyone gets around by horse-drawn carriage or bicycle. It was a great venue for the Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association’s 50th Anniversary Meeting on
For years, wrongdoers have tried to avoid responsibility for accidents they cause by arguing that, as long as they have complied with the applicable FAA regulations, they should be off the hook. Aircraft manufacturers, for example, argue that because the FAA certified their aircraft design before it went into production, a passenger injured in one of their airplanes
CNN recently came up with advice on how to survive a plane crash. Make a plan, brace yourself, know where the exits are, and so on. All good stuff. But if you really want to increase the odds of surviving your flight, here’s what you need to do: every hour, unbuckle your seatbelt, get up, and walk around for