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Wrongful death lawsuit may follow helicopter crash

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Category Wrongful Death
Wednesday, September 13, 2017

A tragic accident occurred in North Carolina on a recent Friday in which four people lost their lives when a life flight helicopter crashed. The cause of the accident is being investigated, but at least one wrongful death lawsuit could follow. One of the victims who died was a patient who was being transported.

According to authorities, the Duke Life Flight helicopter went down in Perquimans County shortly after 11:30 a.m. Upon finding the wreckage, first responders had to extinguish the flames while law enforcement on the ground, aided by an aerial search by the U.S. Coast Guard, searched for survivors. The helicopter had four occupants on board when it crashed.

Reportedly, the flight was underway from a medical facility in Elizabeth City to Duke Medical Center. The two flight nurses and the pilot who lost their lives were employees of Duke Health. No information about the deceased patient was released. Once investigations by the various authorities are completed, it may become clear whether this incident was caused by a mechanical malfunction, a pilot error or some other factor.

The surviving family members of the patient who died in this tragic helicopter crash could seek recovery of damages by filing a wrongful death lawsuit in a North Carolina civil court. However, this will likely prove to be a challenging case that might be best navigated by an experienced personal injury attorney. The biggest challenge may involve establishing negligence and determining who to name as defendants. A lawyer can pursue financial relief on behalf of the family to cover economic losses along with emotional damages sustained.

Source: WJHL.com.com, “Duke Life Flight helicopter crashes in NC, four fatalities confirmed