In Florida, many people go on hot air balloon rides each year. Some are celebrating a birthday or a wedding, while others just want to enjoy a picturesque view. If you or someone you know has been injured in a hot air balloon accident, it is important to seek the help and guidance of a Miami injury attorney. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we can apply the law aggressively to your case to help you seek the compensation you deserve.
While hot air balloon rides are relatively safe, the sad reality is that devastating accidents do happen. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recorded that 775 hot air balloon accidents took place between 1964 and 2014. Of those accidents, approximately 70 involved fatalities, and 16 deaths occurred between the years of 2002 and 2012.
Just as with airplane and helicopter pilots, the Federal Aviation Administration licenses hot air balloon pilots. These pilots are subject to strict federal aviation rules and regulations intended to promote the safe operation of hot air balloons.
Hot air balloon accidents can have a number of different causes, such as pilot error, faulty equipment, or inadequate maintenance. For example, a pilot may misjudge weather conditions and decide to operate the hot air balloon when it was dangerous to do so.
Determining the cause of a hot air balloon accident can be tricky. If a pilot’s carelessness caused the accident and your resulting harm, you may be able to file a negligence claim against the at-fault party. A negligence claim essentially states that the defendant failed to exercise the level of care that a prudent person would have exercised in the same or similar circumstances, thereby causing harm to another person. If the hot air balloon company or pilot failed to maintain the balloon properly or allowed it to fall into disrepair, a negligence claim may be appropriate for that situation as well.
If the hot air balloon was defectively designed or manufactured, a product liability claim might be a way that a plaintiff could seek compensation. A product liability action refers to a civil lawsuit in which the consumer claims that his or her injuries were directly caused by a defective product. The action may be based on negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty, or other theories of liability.
In Florida, a plaintiff may seek a variety of damages, including medical expenses, property damage, lost income, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, and any other costs arising from the accident. If you lost a loved one in a hot air balloon accident, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim against the at-fault party and seek damages such as funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and loss of future earnings. In rare cases, we may be able to obtain punitive damages for you as well.
At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, a diligent Miami product liability attorney can provide reliable legal representation to you at each step of the way. We firmly believing in holding negligent parties accountable for the harm that they cause. You can rest assured that we will make every effort to protect your rights. We proudly represent clients throughout South Florida. To learn more, do not hesitate to call us at 1-877-499-HURT (4878) or contact us online today.
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