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There are safety rules for pilots, just like for  people driving cars. For instance, a pilot should not consume alcohol or other intoxicants within 8 hours prior to flying and should always consider the lasting effects of alcohol the following day. Issues that seem mundane for the general public can be of great concern for…

Riding a motorcycle comes with inherent risks, such as an increased risk of head and brain injuries in a collision. The greatest risk for motorcyclists, however, is driver negligence. In 2016, 3,104 motorcyclists were in accidents in the State of Arizona. Motorcycle accidents caused almost 2,600 injuries and took 144 lives. Many of these collisions…

If an airplane or helicopter is damaged or encounters mechanical difficulty that is hazardous to flight or ground operations, the pilot should land as soon as practical and not attempt to takeoff. Continuing on to the intended destination is often an unnecessary risk that can lead to a crash.

Airplane and helicopter owners and operators should maintain their aircraft in accordance with the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness found in the Airplane Maintenance Manual. Failure to do so can make the aircraft unairworthy.

A trial by jury is the foundation of our civil justice system, so important that it was included as the Seventh Amendment to our Constitution in the Bill of Rights written by the Founding Fathers over 200 years ago.  But over the years, the cost of litigation, the risks of an all or nothing trial…

Pilots should use supplemental oxygen and confirm saturation levels are above 90% by utilizing a pulse oximeter when operating aircraft above 10,000 feet during the day or above 5,000 feet at night.

A pilot facing an emergency landing when airplane or helicopter damage is unavoidable must remember that minimizing crash injuries are in large part a matter of keeping the cabin area as contained as possible by using the wings, landing gear, fuselage bottom to absorb the violence of the landing before it affects the passengers and…

When our loved ones reach the age where they can no longer live independently, we trust that the facilities which care for the elderly will provide our family members with a safe, nurturing, comfortable environment for them to live out the rest of their days.  Nursing homes, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and other…

Electrical fires during a flight are often detected by the smell insulation burning. When such a fire occurs the pilot must check all the circuit breakers, flight instruments and lights to find the source. If the source cannot be found and fixed, the battery master and alternator/generator switches may have to be turned off, even…

At Gallagher & Kennedy, we are observing social distancing and working remotely to help do our part to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic.  But that does NOT mean we have stopped working for our new and existing clients.  G&K’s injury attorneys are adept at working remotely…

Many important legal documents require notarization as a way of making sure that the document is actually signed by the person who is supposed to sign it, and to prove the signature is real in the event it is later challenged.  Normally this means that a document has to be signed in front of a…

An airplane or helicopter engine fire is most often caused by a flammable substance such as fuel, oil, or hydraulic fluid coming in contact with a hot surface. This situation can be caused by a mechanical failure of the engine, a defective exhaust system, or a broken line. Engine fires may also result from maintenance…

When a loved one is injured, the whole family suffers.  The spouse is no longer able to help as much, or even at all, with children, the yard, chores and all of the activities of everyday life. Even worse, the family loses many of the things that matter most in life – the ability to…

Auto manufacturers are required to design and test vehicles and their component parts to make sure that they are “crashworthy.”  It is known that vehicles will crash, and responsible automakers must anticipate certain crash conditions and make sure that their vehicles are safe when they crash. People are often killed or catastrophically injured when they…

Auto manufacturers are required to design and test vehicles and their component parts to ensure that they are “crashworthy.”  It is known that vehicles will crash, and responsible automakers must anticipate certain crash conditions and make sure that their vehicles are safe when they crash. There are many things that can go wrong in a…