Aviation

Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner of Clifford Law Offices, reacted vehemently to the aviation disaster on Thursday, April 10, 2025 when six people perished in a helicopter that fell from the sky in New York’s Hudson River, killing all six people on board. “Once again, innocent victims perished in a preventable and needless aviation disaster. The Federal Aviation Administration is not doing its job! The FAA needs to do more to protect the…

The law firms representing the families of Antoine Lewis and Darcy Belanger announce settlements in their civil litigation against Boeing Corporation, as their trial was set to begin Monday, April 7, in federal District Court in Chicago. Both Lewis and Belanger were among the 157 people who died in the 2019 crash of a 737 MAX8 aircraft in Ethiopia in March 2019 minutes after takeoff from the Addis Ababa airport in Ethiopia. The terms of…

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg is scheduled to testify on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, before the U. S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation regarding the status of the aircraft manufacturer following many years of its safety issues including the crashes of two Boeing 737 MAX8 jets that killed 346 people in the last six years. The hearing, chaired by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Safety First: Restoring Boeing’s Status as a Great American Manufacturer –…

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…

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…