Maison Law represents injury victims in airplane accidents throughout California. There’s no way to downplay the terrible impact of a plane crash. If you do survive, it’s likely that you’ll be facing serious, life-long injuries. Still, looking at the underlying statistics on these incidents can provide a picture of how often they happen–and what you can expect. If you or someone you care about has been in a California plane accident, contact us today for a free consultation.
Economic Impact of the Aviation Industry
There’s two ways to look at the financial impact of the aviation industry: the macro effect on the industry itself and the effect it can have on you, the victim. A 2020 study from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) looked at these impacts. It found that:
- California’s aviation industry resulted in the most earnings, with over $27 million.
Across the country, California led the nation in this statistic:
- California – $27,038,000
- Florida – $20,385,000
- Texas – $18,948,000
- New York – $9,122,000
- Washington – $7,793,000
What this data ultimately shows is that aviation in California brings in a lot of money. It does this mostly through the commercial airline industry, which in turn means there’s a huge number of flights taken by people like you. So, when there’s an accident, it can be very damaging, leading to:
- Injuries that need extensive medical treatment and ongoing care
- Job loss and loss of income
- Emotional and psychological impacts that require therapy and other forms of treatment
- In most cases, it means fatal injuries that leave your surviving family members needing to pay for funeral and burial expenses.
How Many Airplane Accidents Are There Nationwide?
For all the media attention that a typical airplane accident gets, the reality is that air travel has long been one of the safest forms of transportation. But when you stop to think about the sheer number of flights that happen every day throughout the country, it’s easy to see why there are so many plane accidents.
According to 2023 data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), there were:
- 1,450 airplane accidents
- 280 were fatal
This number has varied over the last several years, clocking in at:
- 2019 – 1,504
- 2020 – 1,307
- 2021 – 1,518
- 2022 – 1,538
- 2023 – 1,450
Obviously, these statistics show that air travel is relatively safe. That said, accidents do happen, and when they do, it means injuries like:
- Bruises, sprains, and cuts if passengers aren’t securely seated with seatbelts on during turbulence.
- During emergencies or landings, passengers may suffer whiplash, broken bones, or head injuries.
- Evacuations can lead to fractures, sprains, and bruises.
- Explosions or structural damage can cause severe injuries, including cuts and punctures.
- Both passengers and crew may suffer PTSD after an accident.
Plane Accidents in California
California has some of the busiest airports in the world. From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to San Francisco International Airport, there’s millions of passengers streaming in and out of the state every day. This means a lot of flights. According to the NTSB, the five year period between 2019 and 2023 saw:
- 516 airplane accidents
- 122 of which were fatal
Broken down per year, this equated to:
- 2019 – 113
- 2020 – 103
- 2021 – 91
- 2022 – 110
- 2023 – 99
When taken as a whole, these numbers show that the number of airplane accidents in California–when compared to the number of flights–is relatively low. At the same time, any airplane accident is by nature going to be more severe in terms of the damage because of the various factors involved, like:
- The speed and angle of the crash
- The structure of the airplane itself
- How effective or available safety equipment is
- Human error
- Mechanical issues
On top of these factors, the more passengers there are on a particular flight can mean more injuries and difficulties getting out during an accident. So, it’s important to look at when airplane accidents happen.
Airplane Accidents in California By Month
Just like any other form of travel, there’s certain times of the year where more people are going to be taking flights to and from destinations. The numbers from the NTSB would seem to back this up, showing that:
- August had the highest number of accidents in 2023 with 15.
- June had the second highest, with 11.
Looking deeper at these numbers, it’s clear that many of these accidents occur in the summer and fall. This isn’t surprising, as many people get on planes to travel for summer vacations and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- January – 7
- February – 4
- March – 9
- April – 9
- May – 10
- June – 11
- July – 9
- August – 15
- September -10
- October – 4
- November – 6
- December – 5
Regardless of these statistics, it’s important to remember that an airplane accident can happen at any time. Despite this reality, there’s also extensive safety measures and resources in place to reduce the chances of these accidents. However, if you are in an accident in California, you can turn to our experienced airplane accident lawyers at Maison Law.
Contact Maison Law After an Airplane Accident in California
Understanding your options after an accident is crucial, and Maison Law’s team of experienced California airplane accident lawyers is here to help you. With years of experience in handling accident claims, we make sure victims and their families receive the necessary financial and legal support to move forward.
Dealing with airplane accidents can be complex, but our team will provide the support and care you deserve throughout the legal process. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help.
