Aviation Accident Attorney Obtains $8 Million Settlement for Fatal Helicopter Crash; NTSB Finds Pilots Texting Partially to Blame

Kansas City, Missouri (PRWEB) April 18, 2013

Well known aviation accident lawyer Gary C. Robb got eight million dollars in settlements (Bever et al. v. Succession Freudenberg County Clay, 11CY-10505) (Tacoronte, et al. v. Succession of Freudenberg, Clay County, 11CY-CV10179) resulting from a fatal helicopter crash that the Council US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has formally identified like the first time “texting while driving” has been linked to a fatal commercial airline accident (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-09/texting-while-flying-linked-to-commercial-crash-in-first.html).

At a public hearing held in Washington, DC, last week, the NTSB concluded that the helicopter pilot James Freudenberg, sent and received some two hundred and forty (240) text messages during his shift, which sent three and five received while the helicopter was in flight. According to the report for the hearing, the driver distracted failed to realize that he had enough fuel for the flight and the helicopter crashed near Mosby, finally, Missouri August 26, 2011 due to lack of fuel.


According to Robb, “The requirements of a helicopter pilot flying in heavy workloads are simply incompatible with texting,” Mr Robb, a partner and aviation accident lawyer in Kansas City, Missouri firm Robb & amp; amp;. Robb LCC, is the author of the handbook authority “Helicopter Crash Litigation” (© lawyers and judges Publishing Company, Inc., 2010) Robb has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as ” by far the most successful trial lawyer helicopter crash in the US it. ” He received verdicts of the jury records and regulations in case of the helicopter crash that have been recognized as the highest in the history of the United States.


The helicopter was a medical air ambulance operated by Air Methods Corporation, the largest medical transportation services provider of air emergency in the United States. According to court documents, the eight million in facilities was supported by Air Methods for the death of Randy Bever (Bever et al. V. Succession of Freudenberg, Clay County, 11CY-10505), 47 , flight paramedic, and Terry Tacoronte (Tacoronte, et al. v. Succession of Freudenberg, Clay County, 11CY-CV10179), 56, the patient on board.


In the hearing last week, members of the National Transportation Safety Board expressed concern that electronic devices distractions are increasingly a factor leading to accidents in the different modes of transport, including planes, trains, cars, trucks, and even ships. Following their investigation into this matter, the NTSB has issued a total of nine safety recommendations to the FAA and Air Methods Corporation. They also re-released two previously issued recommendations and voted to issue a security alert asking pilots to recognize the threat posed electronics and turn off both during flight and during critical periods before takeoff. They further recommended that Air Methods expand and revise their company policies prohibiting the use of electronic devices requiring supervision and drivers.


Summary Report and the NTSB recommendations can be found at http://www.robbrobb.com/

The helicopter air ambulance industry has been a number of fatal incidents in recent years. In a period of ten months between December 2007 and October 2008, there were thirteen US helicopter air ambulance accidents resulting in thirty-five deaths. (Alan Levin, “plan FAA require alarms on air ambulances,” USA Today, April 23, 2009).


Mr. Robb has long called for better security in the helicopter industry (See “Helicopter Crash Litigation,” Part III: Safety Recommendations for the helicopter industry) Mr. Robb has expressed that. this case may represent the beginning of a dangerous trend. “Due to the nature of their missions, the helicopter accidents medical air ambulance historically the most deadly took place at night and / or in poor weather . The fact that this accident occurred in daylight and in good weather stresses that this incident was caused by a lack of judgment and decision-making at the most basic level. The public has a right to expect pilots and operators to make safety their top priority, and to ensure at least the attention of the driver and operator of medical helicopters. “


For more information, contact Gary C. Robb at 816-474-8080.

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