Pilot, Passenger Permanently Disabled in Plane Crash Receive $11.35M Jury Award

by James Lewis

JIm is a Virginia injury attorney who handles car accidents, medical malpractice, FELA, wrongful death, etc.

1/22/2012
James Lewis
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Pilot, Passenger Permanently Disabled in Plane Crash Receive $11.35M Jury Award

When their twin-engine Cessna Skymaster experienced engine trouble, crashed and caught fire shortly after taking off from an Atlanta, Georgia (GA), airfield in 2007, it was unclear whether the dermatologist and professional pilot from Ohio (OH) would survive the third-degree burns, broken bones and head injuries they suffered. While the doctor and his fiance pulled through, both were left permanently disabled; the dermatologist returned to his skin cancer specialty practice but has difficulty walking, and the one-time pilot had to surrender her license to fly because lung damage makes her unable to pass a required FAA physical.

In a measure of justice, the man and woman recently received an $11.35 million jury award against the company they had trusted to maintain their plane. Evidence presented by plaintiffs' attorneys Jamie R. Lebovitz and Arthur Allen Wolk at trial showed that Winner Aviation had failed to perform regular required maintenance on the front and rear engines of the couples' small airplane.

This video hints at the complexity of the Cessna Skymater's rear engine and the attention to detail needed to maintain it properly:

As a longtime pilot myself, I know how important it is to keep a plane in proper repair and how much private airplane owners rely on service companies to do this. When paid mechanics fail to identify and fix problems -- and especially when maintenance personnel fail to prevent problems -- anyone injured as a result of that negligence should receive compensation for their medical treatment costs, pain and suffering and loss of quality of life.

EJL

Category: Mass Transit (Airline, Train, Bus)

Labels: broken bones burns Cessna Skymaster engine FAA fire jury award Lewis maintenance passenger hurt permanently disabled pilot injured plane crash Virginia personal injury attorney

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Viriginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have experience handling cases for victims of mass transit accidents such as airplane, train and bus crashes. In fact, our law firm published a free consumer safety guide on what to do if you are hurt in a plane wreck.

We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia but we're ready to come to you anywhere in VA including Suffolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Newport News and Norfolk, VA, if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008, and have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of lawyers receive.

Shapiro and Lewis have also been selected for inclusion in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. In addition, ours was the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Our VA mass transit injury law firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer free initial confidential injury case consultations. Call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail so we can respond directly to you.

Virginia Super Lawyer Best Injury Lawyers in Virginia

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Pilot, Passenger Permanently Disabled in Plane Crash Receive $11.35M Jury Award

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