Personal Injury Advocate
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Were you or someone you love hurt in a plane or helicopter crash?

If a small plane, helicopter, charter flight, or airline flight left you or a family member hurt, you are in the right place.

Are you in an emergency right now?

  • Get clear of the aircraft and away from any fuel or fire hazard if you can move safely.
  • Call 911 or local emergency services right away.
  • Do not go back for belongings.
  • Get medical care right away, even if you feel fine.
  • This page is for after you are safe.

This page covers aviation accident claim deadlines and what to do right now. We are the injured person's advocate. We connect you with a lawyer who handles cases like yours, so you get the full settlement your recovery deserves. Always free. Talk to an advocate. We usually reply within minutes, at most one business day.

The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) investigates almost every U.S. civil aviation accident and publishes a public report on what went wrong. In 2024, U.S. registered civil aircraft had 1,201 accidents and 321 deaths, the lowest general aviation (GA, meaning private and small non-airline flights) fatal accident rate since the FAA began tracking it in 2009 (NTSB statistical reviews).

Why aviation cases are tricky

A small private plane crash usually involves the pilot, the plane owner, and sometimes a parts maker. An airline crash usually adds the airline itself, and international flights can involve treaty rules and caps on certain claims. A lawyer sorts out which rules apply to your flight. Talk to an advocate and they will introduce you to one.

The NTSB's report on the cause can take many months to over a year, and it often becomes key evidence. You do not have to wait for it to start protecting your rights.

A crash can involve the pilot, the aircraft owner, a maintenance shop, an air traffic control agency, or a parts manufacturer. Flight data, maintenance logs, and wreckage can be moved or lost within days, so evidence that is not preserved early may never be recovered. Talk to an advocate quickly to help preserve it.

Protect your case

  1. Get medical care first, even if injuries seem minor. A doctor can document injuries like internal trauma or hearing damage that show up later.
  2. Talk to an advocate at WeHelpInjured. It is free.
  3. Write down everything you remember about the flight and crash while it is fresh, including the aircraft type and tail number if you know it.
  4. Keep tickets, boarding passes, medical records, and any photos or video.
  5. Warning: don't wait! The filing deadline is a trap. It varies by state and by claim type, and international flights can involve treaty rules, so people wait, and waiting kills cases. The longer you wait, the fuzzier memories get and flight data can be lost. Talk to an advocate immediately. A crash tied to a hospital stay can carry a shorter medical deadline, so do not assume the standard rule covers your case. Find your state on our state pages.

Never do these

What real aviation cases have paid

These are publicly reported results. They are examples only. We are not a law firm and this is not legal advice. No one can promise or predict what any case is worth, and many cases resolve for far less.

When it goes wrong: a true story

The 2020 helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others near Calabasas, California was investigated for months by the NTSB, which found the pilot became disoriented after flying into clouds. The families spent years in litigation before reaching settlements with the operating company (CBS News). Aviation cases move on the investigation's timeline, not the family's. Talk to an advocate early so you understand how the investigation timeline affects your deadlines.

What we can help with

We help you make sense of the NTSB process, understand what documentation supports your claim, and connect you with a lawyer who handles cases like yours. All of it is free to you. We never take money from injured people.

Talk to an advocate. An aviation accident is disorienting enough.

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