Seattle Plaintiffs Reach $40 Million Settlement in KOMO Helicopter Accident, According to Luvera Law Firm and Friedman Rubin
By a
In a five-week
"At the end of the day, the evidence was clear: it was the wrong pilot in the wrong place with the wrong aircraft," said
Throughout the case, Beninger and
According to the complaint, due to the negligent safety decisions of his employer, the helicopter pilot was drastically undertrained on a loaner Airbus AS-350 helicopter that he was piloting when it crashed. When the Bell 407 helicopter that he normally flew was briefly out of commission, the aircraft operator substituted a drastically different model - so dissimilar that the rotor blades rotated in the opposite direction. The pilot spent fewer than five hours training, with less than 3 hours of in flight time in this new model; did not receive night flight training or the necessary safety checklist; and did not have a commercial license to operate the helicopter.
Testimony also pointed to organizational demands that the aircraft refuel at the news station's
"We hope this unthinkable tragedy and this result will be a call to action for corporate decision-makers to prioritize public safety," Brodkowitz said.
On the morning of
The crash also knocked Newman out, causing a broken shoulder, ribs and compression spine fractures. It left him with a traumatic brain injury that has impacted his short-term memory and made it much more difficult to manage a high-functioning role.
Meanwhile, Sanchez was waiting in his pickup truck at a red light behind Newman while driving to his job as a maintenance technician at a downtown
Sanchez was able to escape his truck and the fire, but severely injured his shoulder and ankle in the incident. He has since undergone shoulder surgery and physical therapy. He now also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from what he witnessed in the crash. Sanchez is receiving ongoing treatment.
"Cutting corners on safety cost each the lives they knew and loved," Beninger said. "This settlement will provide them with some freedom and independence to help with what was lost, but it won't change their scars, burns or other injuries." About Luvera Law Firm: Luvera Law Firm is the Northwest's premier personal injury law firm. The firm handles a broad variety of cases, including serious injuries and wrongful death caused by commercial and vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, product defects, construction site accidents, corporate wrongdoing, and insurance misconduct. Its work in pursuing accountability also creates positive change in corporate, governmental and individual behavior that makes the world safer for everyone. Find more at: www.luveralawfirm.com. About Friedman Rubin's Aviation Law Practice: Friedman Rubin's Aviation Team represents victims of helicopter, single engine, commercial and charter plane crashes both in
Keywords for this news article include: Aviation, Luvera Law Firm.
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