The incident occurred Sunday evening (August 6, 2023), after fire crews responded to a fire report near Cabazon in Riverside County. According to preliminary reports, two fire helicopters collided. One of them was able to land safely after the collision, the other helicopter unfortunately crashed into the ground – the incident killed everyone on board the craft. Victims include a contracted pilot, a fire captain, and a Cal Fire division chief.
The helicopter that crashed into the ground was a Bell helicopter. The other helicopter involved was a Sikorsy Skycrane.
The incident is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Without a doubt, this is an unfortunate incident that cost the lives of three men. The firefighting community is in mourning. The victim’s families and others in the community have been left with countless questions, some of which include the following:
- Why did the two fire helicopters crash? What caused the crash?
- Why was the pilot unable to make a safe landing?
- Who is responsible for the death of those onboard the helicopter?
As already mentioned, the incident remains under investigation; therefore, it could be difficult to answer some of these questions. However, we could go over some possible answers to these questions.
In fact, based on the details surrounding the incident, the surviving family of the deceased could have grounds to sue and pursue wrongful death claims. For more information about the legal options available to you, contact the experts here at our law firm immediately.
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Possible Causes of the Incident
Helicopter crashes are among the most devastating types of incidents that could occur. In most cases, passengers are killed on impact. Even when there are survivors, injuries are often devastating. These incidents can happen for a number of reasons. Below, we have listed some possible causes of helicopter accidents:
- Poor weather conditions
- Pilot error
- Pilot company negligence
- Helicopter malfunction (i.e., defect in manufacturing/design or mechanical failure)
Perhaps the most common cause of these incidents is poor weather conditions (usually poor visibility). Pilot error can consist of flying the craft under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or even medications, flying the aircraft during a medical emergency, flying recklessly, etc. Pilot company negligence can consist of the company sending out pilots who are not trained or do not have the appropriate licenses to operate these aircrafts. Helicopter malfunctions can usually be traced back to the negligence of the helicopter manufacturer or even helicopter mechanics, depending on the circumstances. Manufacturers can be found negligent if a defect in manufacturing, design, or labeling is found to have caused the incident. Mechanics can be found negligent if they previously failed to identify or address an issue (or if they actually created an issue during the last maintenance or repair performed on the aircraft).
Bell Helicopters have a History of Issues
Although Bell helicopters have a long history of defects and other issues that have ultimately caused issues, the incident remains under investigation; therefore, we cannot point fingers at the helicopter manufacturer. Ultimately, if the investigation finds that the incident was caused by a defect, the manufacturers of Bell helicopters could be held accountable and could be sued.
Can I Sue?
If a party or entity is found to be negligent, family members could have grounds to file a lawsuit. Specifically, family members could file a wrongful death lawsuit. You could also have grounds to recover compensation, some of which could include compensation for medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, funeral/burial costs, punitive damages, and legal fees, for example. For more information about your right to sue and your right to recover compensation, we urge you to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Our lawyers are ready to guide you every step of the way.
Contact the Normandie Law Firm Today
Here at our firm, our helicopter accident lawyers are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights, pursue your wrongful death claim, and recover the compensation that you are owed. To make the legal process as simple as possible for family, our law firm is proud to offer free legal services. These free legal services include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions, address all your concerns, and provide you with all the information that you need to either begin or continue your claim. Our helicopter crash lawyers can help you even if you have already started the legal process elsewhere. If you are unhappy with the way your case is going, we can take over your case and help you secure the settlement that you are owed.
We offer a Zero-Fee guarantee, meaning that our clients will never be required to pay any upfront legal costs for our legal services. In addition, we work on contingency; therefore, our clients will not be required to pay anything unless their claims are successful. If you do not win, you will not have to pay anything at all.
If you are ready to speak with our helicopter crash lawyers, contact us today.
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