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While air travel is generally a very safe mode of transportation, unfortunately, crashes and other incidents occur nearly every day in the United States. In February 2025, 104 aviation accidents and incidents were reported to the National Transportation Safety Board.  Of these incidents, 13 were fatal, killing 28 people.   Another 36 people suffered injuries, though injury counts may not be up to date as many investigations are still underway and others, such as the Delta…

First Trial Set to Begin Monday, April 7, 2025, Against Boeing in 2019 Crash of 737 MAX8; Pre-Trial Hearing Set for April 2, 2025 The first trial is set to begin in federal District Court in Chicago on Monday, April 7, 2025, against Boeing in the 2019 crash of a 737 MAX8 aircraft in Ethiopia on behalf of two victims who were among the 157 killed six years ago. Federal District Court Judge Jorge Alonso…

Family members of victims of the January 29 midair collision of a commercial jet and military helicopter expressed further devastation and sorrow after the March 27, 2025, US Senate aviation subcommittee hearing that discussed the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Preliminary Report. Dailey Crafton, brother of Casey Crafton who was among the 67 people killed onboard the American Airlines jet that collided into an Army helicopter as the plane approached Reagan National Airport (DCA) in…

Family Members of Crash Victims Expected to Attend 3/27/2025 Senate Aviation Subcommittee Hearing on Midair Collision Over the Potomac; Top Aviation Officials Expected to Testify Family members of victims of the January 29 midair collision of a commercial jet and military helicopter will be in attendance at the Thursday, March 27, 2025 US Senate aviation subcommittee hearing that will discuss the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Preliminary Report on the matter. Attending will be Dailey…

Charles R. Haskins, partner at Clifford Law Offices, spoke at the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) Ethics and Professionalism Seminar on March 28. Haskins spoke on “Social Media” during the morning-long conference, which featured several speakers, including Melissa Smart, Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission Director of Education, who spoke on “ARDC’s Strategic Plan for 2025 and New Trends and Relevant Cases for Trial Lawyers.” The program offered 4.75 hours of professional responsibility continuing legal…

Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, authored an article for the February/March issue of Chicago Lawyer Magazine titled “Guidance on AI.” The article explores the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision that the state’s Rules of Professional Conduct and Code of Judicial Conduct apply to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal profession and shares guidance for the responsible use of AI tools within the profession. As new technology emerges…

In the aftermath of a devastating aviation accident, the families and loved ones of victims are often left desperately searching for answers and justice. The complexities of aviation law are numerous, and legal processes can vary significantly based on factors such as the parties involved, investigation procedures, and federal timelines. Leading aviation attorney Robert A. Clifford, the founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, shared his unique perspective and insights on aviation accident rights,…

Kevin P. Durkin, partner at Clifford Law Offices, will be speaking at the Pan-European Organisation of Personal Injuries Lawyers and McGill University Institute of Air and Space Law in Madrid, Spain. The Conference on International Aviation: Liability, Insurance & Finance will be held June 5-6 at Madrid’s Comillas University. Durkin, who has handled numerous aviation crash cases in his 45 years of practice, will be speaking on a panel entitled “Recent Developments in Liability of…

On January 29, 2025, 67 people were killed when a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional flight over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.  This tragic incident was the worst U.S. air disaster since 2001 and the first fatal U.S. commercial passenger crash in nearly 16 years.  Clifford Law Offices immediately began it’s own independent investigation into the incident, and attorney Robert Clifford leads the national conversation around the incident….