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The President of the United States is expected to declare  a national emergency over the coronavirus. The World Health Organization has already announced that the COVID-19 outbreak is a global pandemic. The impact on the US Legal system has been immediate and severe. The U.S. Supreme Court will be closed to the public until further…

The President of the United States is expected to declare a national emergency over the coronavirus. The World Health Organization has already announced that the COVID-19 outbreak is a global pandemic. The impact on the US Legal system has been immediate and severe. The U.S. Supreme Court will be closed to the public until further…

Airlines are being severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. An industry trade group for US Airlines has warned that the recent decision on travel restrictions would hit the U.S. airline industry extremely hard. Airlines in the US have forecasted the virus could threaten to wipe out between $63 billion and $113 billion in global airline…

The Arizona Supreme Court just delivered a very important decision concerning Hospitals and their rights to recover liens against patients who are suing for injuries caused by a third-party. In Ansley v. Banner Health, the Court looked at the question of whether Medicaid patients may sue to challenge Arizona statutes authorizing the recording of liens…

Boeing’s two 737 Max 8 jet crashes and the investigations that followed may change the aviation industry for the better. The October 29, 2018 Lion Air crash killing all 189 people on board and then 5 months later the crash in Ethiopia that claimed another 157 lives brought into focus how a small automated flight…

Shannon Clark, Bob Boatman, and Lincoln Combs presented on recent complex litigation issues, perspectives, and trial experiences at The Sedona Conference in February 2020.  The Sedona Conference is an opportunity for practitioners to move the law forward in a reasoned and just way. Shannon, Bob, and Lincoln led an engaging and interactive session with fellow…

Airplane pilots and passengers who plan to fly after scuba diving should allow the body time to rid itself of excess nitrogen absorbed during the dive. The recommended wait times are 12 hours for flights below 8,000 feet for dives that did not require a controlled ascent and 24 hours if the flight will be…

A Federal Judge has agreed that passengers who flew on since-grounded Boeing 737 Max planes can proceed with a proposed class action suit that accuses the aircraft manufacturer and Southwest Airlines of conspiring to hide the jets’ safety issues. Earl et al. v. Boeing Co. et al., No. 19-cv-507, 2020 WL 759385 (E.D. Tex. Feb….

With the spread of the Coronavirus, airlines are under scrutiny for more passenger safety. We may see more claims like the one made by a New Jersey woman who says she contracted tuberculosis on a 2018 flight from Nigeria because Ethiopian Airlines negligently seated a contagious passenger next to her and refused her request to…

Our own Kevin D. Neal is featured in a Q&A on Attorney at Law Magazine, in which he talks about his 30-year career, his motivations, and lessons he has learned as an attorney practicing in wrongful death and personal injury.  This article is full of insights for anyone who is interested in the practice of…

A pilot should not fly an airplane or helicopter within 72 hours after a blood donation or transfusion due to the lowering of oxygen carrying capacity of blood following a blood donation or transfusion.

Spatial Disorientation can be a killer. An extremely dangerous situation occurs when a pilot unintentionally flies from visual flight rules  (VFR) into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). While these accidents represent a small number of the total crashes every year, they also represent a disproportionate percentage of the fatalities. Early indications are that the helicopter crash…

General aviation pilots should regularly assess their recent flight experience, training, and pilot certification to develop personal minimums for wind, ceiling and visibility, and instrument approach minimums. For instance, a pilot should not attempt to takeoff or land when the wind speed and crosswind component exceed their capabilities.

Due to the unique characteristics of helicopters, they are used in a variety of missions that can test both the skills of the pilot and the helicopter’s performance. Since helicopters can fly low, slow, hover and land vertically they are ideal for  law enforcement, search and rescue, news, and sight-seeing. On the other hand, these…

Garmin is a company that makes avionics for airplanes. The company recently introduced an emergency one-button “Autoland” system on certain airplanes. When pushed, the system takes over and engages the autopilot, announces an emergency on the radio, evaluates weather and terrain and then flies the plane to the nearest suitable airport where it not only…