“I never thought the helicopter would crash.” That may be the only thing running through your mind in the hours that follow what was supposed to be a scenic Hawaii helicopter tour.
As a tourist, you’re far from your doctors, support system, and the people you’d normally turn to in a crisis. And once the initial shock of what you survived wears off, you may ask what rights you have and whether compensation is available for what you’ve been through.
That question deserves a clear answer.
Compensation is almost always available for tourists injured in Hawaii helicopter accidents. Helicopter crashes typically involve pilot error, design or manufacturing defects, inadequate maintenance, flying in adverse weather conditions, poor planning, reckless decisions, or safety failures. If those actions led to your injuries, you may have the right to file a claim against the pilot, helicopter tour company, manufacturer, or air traffic control to seek financial support for what this crash has taken from you.
Can a Tourist File a Lawsuit After a Helicopter Accident in Hawaii?
Yes. As a tourist injured in a helicopter crash in Hawaii, you can file a claim. Helicopter crash lawsuits for non-residents in Hawaii are allowed when the crash occurs in Hawaii. Lawsuits may be filed in a State Court or Federal Court depending on your situation.
You don’t have to remain in Hawaii to take legal action. A local aviation accident attorney from Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks can continue the case here while you recover at home.
What Compensation Is Available for Injured Tourists in Hawaii Helicopter Accidents?
Since the crash, you may be adjusting to physical pain, changes in how you work or move, or lingering emotional trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A compensation claim may address the following:
- Past and future medical and rehabilitation expenses;
- Time away from your job or changes to your ability to work resulting in past and future economic losses;
- Physical pain, disability, disfigurement and emotional trauma; and
- Long-term effects that interfere with your daily routine, independence or enjoyment of life, including the cost of attendant and housekeeping care if you are disabled from performing your normal activities of daily living.
Compensation for tourists injured in Hawaii helicopter crashes should reflect the full impact of your injuries, including how they’ve affected your health, your work, and your ability to live as you did before the crash.
Can a Tourist Claim Medical Expenses for a Helicopter Accident in Hawaii?
In addition to the long-term effects on your work and daily life, tourists who survive a helicopter crash face serious medical expenses that begin in Honolulu and continue after they return home. Some of these expenses often continue for life.
Those costs may include:
- Ambulance transport and emergency care;
- Surgery, trauma treatment, or intensive care;
- Medical evacuation or return travel arranged for health reasons;
- Follow-up visits, therapy, and prescriptions in your home state;
- Medical supplies and equipment, such as wheelchairs, walking canes and braces; and
- Home attendant care for extended or permanent disability..
You can include the medical care received after the helicopter accident in a legal claim filed in Hawaii.
Are Hawaii Helicopter Tour Companies Regulated for Safety?
Helicopter tour companies in Hawaii must follow safety rules enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). These federal regulations include pilot licensing, aircraft maintenance, weather minimums, and flight planning. Multiple governmental agencies are involved in the investigation of helicopter crashes in Hawaii. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates all helicopter crashes and, based on its findings, makes recommendations to the FAA. The FAA Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention may work together with the NTSB. Police, fire and emergency services are often the first responders on the scene. They gather information immediately following the crash including photos and video, witness identification and statements, reports of weather and other important contributing factors..
Tour operators are also subject to state-level requirements, such as compliance with Hawaii’s consumer protection and business operation laws. Companies that skip inspections or pressure pilots to fly in unsafe conditions may be held accountable under federal and state systems.
Here’s where understanding how federal and. state resources and laws in Hawaii helicopter accident claims intersect is important. The FAA is responsible for enforcing safety rules and investigating crashes along with the NTSB, but does not compensate victims. Even if the FAA or NTSB finds that a company violated federal aviation standards, injured passengers must use Hawaii’s state or federal civil court system to pursue financial recovery.
That means your claim may involve state first responder and federal NTSB or FAA findings that show one or more safety violations occurred and state laws that allow you to pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional distress and long-term effects. A Honolulu-based attorney can use local and federal findings to support your claim under state and federal law and help show how the tour company may have failed to meet its safety obligations.
Speak with a Honolulu Helicopter Accident Lawyer
Tourist helicopter crashes raise complex legal and factual questions, especially when multiple parties fail to meet safety standards or share responsibility for what occurred. Details uncovered during investigations may affect how these cases move forward, including those involving settlements for Hawaii helicopter tour crash victims.
Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks has experience pursuing compensation for tourists injured in dozens of Hawaii helicopter accidents, including crashes in Honolulu and on the neighbor islands. The firm builds claims that account for the physical, financial, and emotional toll a crash like this can have.If you were hurt in a helicopter crash while visiting Hawaii, contact our office to discuss your options. There is no cost to speak with someone from our team.
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