Suits Filed in Helicopter Death Cases

In both Chicago and Louisiana, law suits have been filed against helicopter companies over crash deaths.

The suit in Chicago arises from the crash that took four lives, including that of a 14-month-old infant.  The young girl was being transferred in a medical helicopter when it hit a radio-tower support wire, and crashed in a Chicago suburb.

Here in Louisiana, the suit arises out of the recent crash that took the lives of eight men in the swamps of Terrebonne Parish. The cause is yet undetermined. The helicopter took off from Amelia, Louisiana Sunday. Contact was lost minutes later.

Here’s some insight on these types of cases. What you see with the Louisiana crash is a perfect example of the Louisiana Civil Law term “ Res ipsa loquitur” which means “the thing speaks for itself.”

This rebuttable presumption, or inference, shifts the burden of proof to the helicopter company to prove that they were not at fault in the tragedy. This rule of evidence arises based upon proof that the helicopter was in the exclusive control of the company, and that this type of accident would not ordinarily happen unless there is negligence.