Aircraft Accident Investigation and Litigation
Over the years, Holland & Knight has probably done as much or more legal work for U.S. and foreign clients involving every facet of aviation as any other firm in the United States.
Representing Your Defense Claims and Crash Investigations
The single largest component of our aviation litigation practice is the representation of U.S. and foreign airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and aircraft component parts manufacturers in the defense of claims against them in litigation arising out of aircraft accidents and aircraft crash investigations of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Congress.
Holland & Knight’s aviation lawyers also represent operators and manufacturers of aircraft and aircraft components in connection with other accidents, including military and general aviation accidents involving various kinds and models of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, ranging from small private aircraft and utility helicopters to corporate business aircraft and high-performance fighters.
Mass Disasters
One feature of airline crash cases is that they generally involve multiple deaths and injuries. The experience and capability to handle the complex claims that result from such mass disasters are especially important in aviation cases. We also have served as counsel in non-aviation cases, such as hotel fires and widespread chemical exposure cases. Because of our size, we are able to mobilize a large number of experienced lawyers to deal with the problems arising out of a major disaster and the resulting claims and litigation.
In addition, we have devoted considerable time to advising airlines about the applicability of the U.S. government's post-accident family assistance programs and about airline compliance with these programs.
High Profile Aircraft Accident Litigation Experience
Our experience in dealing with crash litigation and the investigations of the NTSB and the FAA is well known. In addition to smaller crash cases, we have been lead U.S. counsel for one or more of the defendant operators and manufacturers in investigations and/or litigation arising out of the following:
- Air France Concorde crash in Paris
- TWA Flight 800 B747 crash near Long Island
- American Airlines Flight 587 A300 crash near John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City
- UPS DC-8 accident at Philadelphia
- September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center
- Aerocaribe BAE J32 crash near Villahermosa, Mexico
- Executive Airlines BAE J31 crash in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
- American Airlines MD -82 accident in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Colgate BK117 crash in New York City
- Eastern Airlines B727 crash at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City
- Air France/Tame B727 crash in Bogota, Colombia
- Airborne Express DC-8 crash in Virginia
- National Helicopter Bell 206 crash in New Jersey
- American Airlines B757 crash near Cali, Colombia
- Atlantic Coast Airlines BAE J41 crash at Columbus, Ohio
- American Eagle C212 crash at Mayagues, Puerto Rico
- USAir F28 crash at LaGuardia Airport in New York City
- Runway collision between a USAir B-737 and a Skywest Metroliner in Los Angeles
- USAir B-737 accident at LaGuardia Airport in New York City
- U.T.A. DC-10 terrorist bombing in Niger, Africa
- United Airlines DC-10 crash at Sioux City , Iowa
- British Midland B-737 crash near Kegworth, England
- Pam Am B747 and KLM B747 collision in the Canary Islands
- American Airlines in the NTSB investigation of Chicago DC-10 crash and related FAA investigation and grounding
International Aviation Law
Our team has first-hand experience with international aviation law, including the Warsaw Convention and related matters. We have handled many hundreds of litigated accident cases involving international aviation law and have advised airlines on intercarrier agreements and negotiations leading to the new Montreal Convention.
Maritime Laws
Our aviation lawyers have a great deal of experience in maritime tort law, and have dealt extensively with international and national aviation and maritime laws that are applicable to a crash on the high seas or other navigable waters.
Related Aviation Litigation
The Holland & Knight aviation team defends airlines in cases involving smaller accidents, turbulence, pressurization problems, emergency evacuations, hijackings, false arrests, denied boardings, commercial litigation and cargo and baggage claims. We also defend against non-crash commercial claims, as we did for an airline sued by another airline that alleged improper engine maintenance. We also were successful as lead defense counsel for a national airline in nationwide privacy class action litigation.
Additionally, our aviation lawyers also represent airlines and manufacturers in connection with claims made against others. For example, we were lead counsel for Air France in its successful lawsuit against the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for the destruction of a Concorde engine due to the aircraft's being struck by geese while landing at Kennedy Airport in June 1995.
Comprehensive Aviation Counsel
Our aviation lawyers have extensive experience in aviation matters not involving accident investigations and litigation, including: