Supreme Court Rules on Plane Crash Case

The Washington Supreme Court ruled in an aviation case in which seven people died.[1] The personal representative of the decedents’ estates brought wrongful death actions against Twin Commander, the plane manufacturer.[2] An investigation by the Mexican government reached the conclusion that the rudder came loose during flight, causing the accident.The trial court granted summary judgment […]

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Design Defects

To prove a design defect products liability claim the injured party must prove that a manufacturer’s product was not reasonable safe as designed and caused injury.[1] The injured part may prove a design defect by either of two tests, the risk-utility test or the consumer expectations test.[2]

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Air Carrier Standard of Care

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and the Airline Deregulation Act (ADA) preempt state law if the claim involves a carrier’s rates, routes, and services.[1] Violation of FAA regulations have been held to be negligence per se.[2]

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