The Feres Doctrine protects the military from lawsuits brought against it by Families of service members killed in the line of duty as a result of its negligence. The Feres Doctrine does not, however, prevent civilians who have lost love ones from suing. Families must still navigate the nuances …

Wasn’t it Air Traffic Control’s job to keep the American Airlines flight safe from the Black Hawk helicopter?  Can families sue Air Traffic Control to obtain compensation for their losses?  What’s involved? Air traffic controllers work within the guidelines set forth in the Controller’s Handbook (pdf), which they often call “the Bible.”  The …

The Beechcraft Baron 95-B55 was found Tuesday night approximately one mile West of the Catalina Island Airport. It crashed shortly after takeoff, killing five on board. Weather reports indicated low clouds. Thus, the aircraft would have encountered “instrument conditions” in a matter of seconds after leaving the runway. The aircraft …

A young couple and their unborn daughter died tragically while snorkeling in full-face snorkel masks off the coast of Maui on September 14, 2024. Many other people have died under similar circumstances since 2014, when full-face masks entered the market.   The full-face design of these snorkel masks can inherently turn …

Full face snorkel masks might be the common thread amongst an increasing number of drowning deaths in Hawai’i.   The alarm was sounded on full-face snorkeling masks in 2017, when a woman waded into calm waters off the coast of Hawai’i, eager to try her new full-face snorkeling mask. Less than …

At least a half dozen Cirrus SR22T aircraft have lost power on takeoff and crashed. According to the National Transportation Board, in each case the aircraft pumped too much fuel to the engine, causing it to flood.  That remains ongoing danger. According to the National Transportation Safety Board:  until …

Full face snorkel masks might be the common thread amongst an increasing number of drowning deaths in Hawai’i.   The alarm was sounded on full-face snorkeling masks in 2017, when a woman waded into calm waters off the coast of Hawai’i, eager to try her new full-face snorkeling mask. Less than …

Looks as though Hawai’ian Electric Company is legally responsible for the Maui Wildfire.  After all, it: Failed to de-energize power lines in areas with high winds and dry vegetation, even though it had a public power shutoff plan in place; Failed to maintain its power lines and equipment, which …

After a “meticulous and thorough investigation,” Cal Fire concludes that the Dixie Fire was caused by a tree contacting PG&E’s electrical lines. No surprise, given that PG&E all but admitted as much last July. We can expect Cal Fire to now join the lawsuit we’ve filed on behalf of our

Instrument approach procedures are pre-determined paths and maneuvers that, if followed, will guide an aircraft to a runway in reduced visibility.  The last leg of an instrument approach procedure is typically a straight line (more or less) to the end of the runway.  The straight line minimizes the turns the

FEMA aid is now available for Dixie Fire survivors.  Aid can include money for temporary housing, for repairs, and for certain personal properly losses. Deadline for registering is October 15. The catches: By and large, FEMA helps only when the loss is uninsured or underinsured.  For example, if your

Some media outlets have reported that poor visibility from the PG&E Dixie wildfire smoke may have caused the Bombardier Challenger jet crash in Truckee.   If true, would that make PG&E liable? Probably not. PG&E is liable to those whose property burned in the Dixie Fire, or those whose property