When a major accident occurs and severe injuries are sustained, victims may be airlifted to a medical facility for treatment. Typically, the mode of transportation used as an air ambulance is a helicopter. However, there have been major concerns raised over how safe these air ambulances really are, especially in light of the number of crashes that occur every year.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), there have been 185 medical helicopter crashes since 1998—the latest occurring just this past October in Wichita Falls, Texas. Three people were killed in a crash, bringing the total number of victims killed in medical helicopter crashes to 174. This total includes both crew members and patients being transported to medical facilities.

One of the reasons cited for this increase in crashes is the incredible growth the air ambulance industry has seen over the past two decades. Up until 2002, the only air ambulances in operation were owned solely by hospitals. These ambulances were typically twin-engine aircrafts and the medical staff who flew with patients was comprised of emergency room physicians and critical care nurses. The hospitals usually lost money in these transfers, and, after much lobbying, Medicare agreed in 2002 to reimburse hospitals for the actual costs of these patient transports.

However, instead of using the increased funds from Medicare to ensure equipment and staff was of the utmost in safety, companies instead downgraded. They began using single-engine helicopters to transport patients and hired crews with limited experience. The number of air ambulance companies in operation exploded, from 545 medical helicopters flying in 2003 to 1,020 medical helicopters in operation as of 2014.

Most air safety analysts agree that it is the for-profit companies who are responsible for the dramatic number of crashes and fatalities. Even though for-profit air ambulance companies only make up 40 percent of the number of businesses in operation, it is their aircrafts that account for 80 percent of helicopter crashes.

The NTSB also points out that one popular model of air ambulance—the Bell 206—are well-known for problems which cause the aircraft to spin uncontrollably. This is what happened in the Texas crash. Also contributing to safety issues is the shortage of available pilots. This has caused many companies to lower their flight hour requirements when hiring people to fly air ambulances.

Tragically, it appears that the profits companies are making on these medical helicopter transports have taken priority over the safety and welfare of both patients and medical and flight crews. If you have lost a loved one in an aircraft crash, please contact an experienced Westport wrongful death attorney to find out what compensation you may be entitled to for your pain and loss.

The minivan has become the quintessential family vehicle. Pull into any school during morning drop-off or afternoon pickup, and you will typically see a convoy of minivans lined up for this daily family routine. However, a new study has revealed that minivans, instead of keeping a family protected in a car accident, may actually be a deathtrap.

Minivan Safety Testing

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently conducted testing on four of the most popular models of minivans. According to their findings, these tests revealed many of the “worst outcomes” for the types of test crashes the researchers conducted.

The four minivans modeled tested were Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan (which is a twin to Chrylser’s model), Nissan Quest, and Toyota Sienna. Researchers wanted to determine how safe these vehicles are in small overlap front crashes. Overlap tests simulate what happens if a vehicle is hit in the front corner of the vehicle comes into contact with an object—such as another vehicle, utility pole or a tree.

According to the recent IIHS tests, three of the four minivans tested have critical flaws when it comes to protection from overlap crashes. Only the Toyota Sienna received an acceptable rating, although the IIHS report classified its structural performance as “subpar.”

Minivan Test Crash Results

When the Nissan Quest’s test crash occurred, the force of the impact pushed the lower hinge pillar in over two feet. The parking brake was moved over a foot-and-a-half towards the crash dummy in the driver’s seat, which trapped the dummy’s right foot between the toe pan and the brake pedal. The foot was wedged so deeply that the entire seat needed to be cut out and then technicians utilized a crowbar to free the foot. The dummy’s left leg was trapped between the instrumental panel and the seat. Additionally, when the airbag deployed, it smashed right into the dummy’s face. When testers measured the actual forces of the impact, especially along the length of the dummy’s left leg, there were areas where the force actually exceeded the amount the sensors could measure.

The Town & Country did no better in testing. The vehicle’s lower hinge pillar was pushed in 15 inches. The parking brake pedal gouged the dummy’s left leg and a steel brace from the under instrument panel tore the skin of the left knee of the dummy. The steering column and the door sill crushed towards the driver. Incredibly, when the vehicle’s front airbag deployed, it hit the crash dummy’s head, knocking it off and into the instrument panel. The side airbag offered little protection from the impact.

These tests crashes were performed at only 40 mph. Imagine if one of these crashes occurred with a family in the vehicle?

Contact a Compassionate Connecticut Wrongful Death Attorney

A vehicle collapsing on victims during an accident is unacceptable and a significant product defect these manufacturers need to address. If you have lost a family member in an accident caused by a defective motor vehicle, contact an experienced Westport wrongful death attorney to find out what legal action you may be able to take against the manufacturer.

Month after month, there are reports of private plane crashes—usually with no survivors. Not only do these crashes prove fatal for the occupants of the air craft, but far too often there are on-the-ground victims who are either killed or seriously injured when a plane crashes to the ground.

Two weeks ago, a mother and her two children were killed when a small plane crashed into their home in Gaithersburg, Maryland. According to reports from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the home burst into fire and the victims were trapped inside. The 36 year-old mother’s body was found huddled and holding the bodies of her seven-week old and three year-old sons. Additionally, all three occupants of the plane were killed in the crash. The plane was only one mile away from its destination when it crashed.

In 2011, the NTSB reported that 94 percent of all fatal plane crashes were categorized as general aviation. The general aviation category includes all small private planes, whether the aircraft is being flown by an experienced pilot or an amateur pilot. The agency’s statistics show that there are seven accidents per 100,000 flight hours in general aviation. For commercial aviation, those statistics are 0.16 accidents per 100,000 flight hours.

The majority of general aviation accidents involve pilot error, and the NTSB notes that most of these accidents are preventable. Many of this country’s 220,000 general aviation pilots do not have enough experience or training when experiencing situations such as bad weather. In fact, when an incident happens, they panic.

The head of the NTSB says that general aviation safety has now become top priority and the agency has implemented “safety alerts” and training videos in an effort to help educate general aviation pilots. The goal is to substantially decrease the number of general aviation accidents that occur annually, which currently number 1,500. Almost 450 people are killed in these accidents every year.

If you have lost a loved one in a fatal private plan crash, or a different type of accident caused by another person’s negligence, contact an experienced Westport wrongful death attorney to discuss the legal recourse you may have against the responsible party.