Whether adventuring on a serene helicopter ride or riding the bus for transportation, accidents strike when least expected. In the hustle and bustle of transportation, safety can be overlooked which lead to injuries. When a helicopter or bus crash occurs, be prepared and know what steps to take. Below are a few examples of what can lead to helicopter or bus crashes and what to do should this type of event take place.
Causes of helicopter crashes:
- Pilot Error.
- One thing many passengers don’t expect when getting into a helicopter is for their pilot to make a mistake. Clearly, flying a helicopter involves great responsibility. However, human error still happens. Many times, a pilot may fail to fly the helicopter in accordance to the aircraft’s limitations. Other times, a pilot may fly the helicopter under unsafe conditions.
- Weather.
- A misassessment of the weather before or during a flight leads to risks during a helicopter ride. If a pilot and passenger are caught out in a storm or in the midst of dangerous winds, this can lead to a crash or injury.
- Poor Maintenance.
- A helicopter company failing to regularly check up on their aircrafts can be held liable for endangering their passengers. It’s vital to do routine checks and maintenance on all aircrafts to ensure safety.
- Helicopter Design Flaw.
- Even if a pilot is careful and advanced in skill, if the helicopter holds a design flaw, then chances for accidents increases. A design flaw can also indicate improper testing of the aircraft, improper use, and even inadequate quality control.
Causes of bus crashes:
- Blind Spots
- . There’s no doubt that buses are bigger than cars. But what this means is that blind spots are harder. When drivers fails to check the blind spot of their vehicle, they are opening the chances of getting into an accident. Failure to check a blind spot when driving a bigger vehicle such as a bus is even more dangerous and can be held as driver error against the bus driver.
- Weather.
- Slippery roads, strong storms, or even a bright sun glare lead to dangerous driving conditions. If a bus driver cannot see properly out of their bus, or if they cannot gain control of their vehicle, then the driving situation has just become dangerous.
- Other Drivers.
- Your bus driver may be the most careful driver, but sometimes all it takes is another distracted driver to cause an accident. A car swerving in front of a bus, a vehicle running a stop light, or a driver simply not paying attention to the traffic are all examples of how a bus accident may occur.
- Driver Negligence.
- Fatigued or distracted bus drivers can be held liable for accidents. Many bus companies are cracking down on tired drivers by making sure they are not overworked or that they take precautions when working longer shifts. But sometimes, this may not be enough.
What to do in the event of a helicopter or bus crash:
- Seek medical help immediately.
- There’s no reason to postpone or refuse professional medical help after a helicopter or bus accident. In fact, it should be one of the first things you do. Make sure to keep your records and to keep visiting the hospital for follow up checkups if needed.
- Gather witnesses and/or news reports.
- If you are in a bus crash, chances are there may have been key witnesses around. Gather their contact information or include their testimonies in a police report. If you were involved in a helicopter crash, you can gather news reports of the crash from newspapers, the internet, or the television.
- Call the police.
- Filing a police report will help you in the long run especially with insurance and seeking professional legal help.
- Contact a personal injury attorney.
- If you’ve been injured in an accident, it means having to deal with medical expenses, loss of work, anxiety, or trauma. You shouldn’t have to deal with it alone or to pay your own bills when it is not your fault. Contact an accident attorney today to see how they can help you recover your losses.
Hundreds of bus and helicopter crashes happen each year, some of them even include fatalities. However, even if there are no fatalities from a crash, serious injury can still affect several passengers. Some passengers even report suffering from anxiety or trauma after experiencing a sudden accident. Others may be unable to work for a period of time, meaning loss of pay. In either case, it’s important to know how to handle the aftermath of a bus or helicopter crash. Know your options and call for legal help today.