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What Should I Do If a Loved One Dies In An Airline Accident?

Hold airlines accountable. Contact New York airline accident attorney Jonathan C. Reiter.

When a loved one dies in an airline accident, knowing what to do afterward can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s critical you contact us as soon as possible. We can help your family deal with the complicated legal issues surrounding the death of a loved one.

The airline will likely contact you to arrange for you to retrieve the personal effects of your loved one. The airline representatives might sound sincere, offer to make travel arrangements to the site of the crash and other details. In the process, the officials will likely ask to interview family members.

Don’t speak directly with the airline. They may be gathering information to help defend against your lawsuit. Hire an experienced aviation accident wrongful death attorney. We can deal directly with the airline and shield you from direct contact with airline investigators seeking taped or written statements.

What should I do if a loved one dies in an airline accident in the United States?

Family members should not give oral or written statements to the airline or its representatives. More importantly, family members should not sign any documents prepared by the airline or accept money or other benefits from them without first speaking with an attorney.

Instead, you should contact the New York airline accident attorneys at Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC. Our attorneys have handled many complicated airline accident cases, including ones involving:

  • American Airlines Flight 587 Belle Harbor, NY – $32 million for relatives of victims *
  • Swissair Flight 111 Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia – $5 million for relatives of victims *
  • Egyptair Flight 990 – $3.6 million for landmark case involving relatives of victim *
  • Representing the families of victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks *

What should I do if a loved one dies in an airline accident overseas?

You have many options available to your family after an international airline accident. We can negotiate with directly with the airline. We have years of experienced handling complicated international airline accidents, including ones in Canada and involving airlines from Egypt and Switzerland. We want to work with your family so you can focus on what really matters: dealing with the emotional aftermath of losing a loved one in an airline accident.

Should I sue the airline if a loved one dies in a commercial airline accident?

In most cases, yes. However, it’s important to explore all the options available to you before you take legal action after your airline accident. It’s also important to consider where you will file your lawsuit. Many jurisdictions have different laws governing aviation accidents.

We can help you decide the best legal venue for filing your lawsuit, whether it’s where the flight originated, the intended destination, your loved one’s hometown or the location of the airline’s headquarters. There are many options available to you. We can help.

Is there a limit to how much money family members can obtain for airline accident fatalities?

No. International airline crashes are governed by the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions, international treaties that limit damages to $75,000 per passenger. However, almost every major airline has signed the International Air Transport Association (IATA) agreement that voluntarily waives this limitation.

As a result there is no arbitrary limit placed on how much money families can obtain after the death of loved one in an international airline accident. The same principles apply to domestic airline accidents.

Why should I hire New York personal injury lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter?

Experience matters when it comes to airline accidents. You need an attorney who understands aviation law, complicated jurisdictional issues and knows how to negotiate with airlines and insurance companies. You need the New York attorneys at Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC on your side.

We know how to investigate large-scale airline accidents, and we have the case results to prove it. Our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for families in the United States and around the world for many airline accidents. We will not rest until justice is served.

Airline accident victims have rights. We can fight for them. Contact us.

Every airline accident is unique – just like you. That’s why we take the time to learn about every person we work with and go the extra mile to provide top-notch legal advice. Your case is about more than just money. It’s about justice. It’s about holding airlines accountable for their actions.

You have enough to worry about if you or a loved one sustained a serious injury or died due to an airline accident in the United State or abroad. We can deal directly with the airlines and their insurance companies so you can focus on what matters most: your recovery.

Start rebuilding your life. Contact us. Call (212) 736-0979 and schedule a free consultation today. We’re conveniently located in The Empire State Building in Manhattan. Best of all, you only pay us if we win. That’s because we work on a contingency fee basis.

Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC – here for you when you need us most.

(* Cases were prosecuted by Mr. Reiter as a member of a separate and distinct law firm.)