Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC can help you if you’ve been hurt in an airplane accident caused by defective parts in Louisville. When you step onto a plane, you trust that every part of it—from the engines to the smallest bolts—works exactly as it should. So when something goes wrong midair, it can be hard to believe that one defective part could cause such a problem. But it does, and when you’re injured (or worse), our team will be there to help you and your family. Set up a free consultation today.
Why Would I Need a Lawyer After a Defective Parts Accident?
When a plane goes down or makes an emergency landing because of a part that didn’t do its job, the first question everyone asks is, “How could this happen?” Federal agencies like the NTSB or FAA will dig into that question. They’ll pull flight data, look through maintenance logs, and comb through the wreckage to figure out what part failed. But here’s the thing: their job is about safety, not accountability. They’re not looking at how you’re supposed to cover your medical bills or what your family is supposed to do next.
That part falls to you—and that’s a lot to take on alone. That’s where having a lawyer helps. Not to make things more complicated—but to make them simpler for you. Our team can:
- Makes sense of the investigation and its findings as to what happened
- Explain what your options look like
- Get and protect vital evidence
- Handle talks with agencies, airlines, and insurance carriers
- Bring in experts to help your claim by giving their opinion on what happened
You don’t need to have all the answers right now. You just need someone who knows how to find them—and that usually starts with getting the right information and evidence.
What Kinds of Evidence Can Help Show Defective Parts Caused My Injuries?
When an airplane accident happens because of a faulty or defective part, proving it isn’t as simple as pointing to the broken piece and saying, “that’s what did it.” These cases are built on details—small bits of information that, when pieced together, tell the full story of how and why the part failed. Here’s what you can focus on:
- Maintenance and inspection records that show when the plane and its components were last checked, repaired, or replaced. If a part was overdue for service or installed wrong, it’s often in the paperwork.
- Reports on the parts. Every aircraft part comes with testing data, quality reports, and sometimes recall notices. If the manufacturer already knew about a defect—or ignored warning signs—those records can be critical.
- Black box data can show exactly what happened before and during the accident—from engine performance to cockpit communication.
- Experts–aviation engineers, mechanics, and safety specialists–help explain how the part failed and whether it could have been prevented. Their insights connect the technical details to real-world responsibility.
- Statements from passengers, crew, or ground staff might recall unusual noises, vibrations, or warnings before the failure. Those can help fill in what the data can’t show.
This information disappears fast after an accident, and airlines or manufacturers aren’t going to give it up willingly. Our team can take the lead in getting everything you’ll need. Ultimately, though, it’s about putting everything together to figure out what went wrong–and who’s responsible.
What Actually Causes Defective Part Accidents With Airplanes?
It’s really easy to see how a defective part causes an airplane accident, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. More importantly, though, there’s so many different parts that an accident can easily happen when one breaks down–or is defective from the start. But it’s about specifics, and here’s what usually causes these kinds of accidents:
- Design flaws. Sometimes a part is defective before it even leaves the factory. A design error can cause it to wear out too quickly or fail under pressure.
- Manufacturing problems. Even when the design is solid, mistakes during production—using substandard materials, skipping quality checks, or poor assembly—can lead to dangerous flaws.
- Installation issues. A part might work perfectly fine, but if it’s installed incorrectly by maintenance crews, it can malfunction mid-flight.
- Failure to replace worn parts. Aircraft parts are built to last, but not forever. When an airline or maintenance provider cuts corners and reuses old components, that decision can lead to tragedy.
- Supplier negligence. Sometimes third-party suppliers ship the wrong component or fail to follow safety standards. Even a small error can have catastrophic results.
In many cases, several of these factors overlap—which is why figuring out exactly what went wrong isn’t easy. It takes investigation, persistence, and a team that understands how all the moving parts (literally) come together. And this is important for another reason: establishing fault.
Who’s Fault is it When Defective Parts Cause an Airplane Accident?
Even with all the information and evidence put together, there’s rarely a simple answer when it comes to fault after a defective part or parts causes your airplane accident. Legally speaking, though, it’s like any other accident–fault comes down to negligence.
Basically, it’s still about showing that someone (or group of people) didn’t take the proper care with their part in the process, and that’s what caused the accident and your injuries. In these types of accidents, fault can fall on:
- The aircraft manufacturer, if the plane was built with a faulty design or unsafe systems.
- The parts manufacturer, if the specific component that failed was improperly made or tested.
- The maintenance company, if the defective part was installed wrong, not replaced when needed, or inspected carelessly.
- The airline or pilot, if they ignored warning signs or continued to fly an unsafe aircraft.
- Suppliers or distributors, if they mishandled, mislabeled, or shipped untested components.
Knowing who’s responsible is a turning point—it means you can finally start taking steps toward recovery instead of being stuck in uncertainty.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Defective Part Airplane Accident?
Every airplane accident leaves its own mark. For some people, it’s a long road of surgeries, therapy, and physical recovery. For others, it’s learning to live with lasting injuries or the loss of someone they loved deeply. No two stories are the same—but what they all share is the need to find a way forward. And the law in Kentucky let’s you do that by filing an injury claim and getting “damages.”
You can file your claim either through insurance or by filing a full lawsuit, but the goal is to get financial help for what you’ve lost because of the accident. In most cases, this includes things like:
- Medical costs, including emergency treatment, surgeries, rehab, and future care.
- Lost income, if you can’t work while recovering.
- Loss of future earnings, if your injuries prevent you from returning to your career.
- Pain and suffering, which covers the physical and emotional toll of what you’ve been through.
- Property damage, such as lost belongings from the flight.
- Wrongful death damages, including funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and the financial support a loved one provided.
Getting these damages is about how strong your claim is, but there’s also procedure. You only have one year from the date of the accident to file. With that, the sooner you start, the stronger your claim should be. And you don’t have to go through any of this alone—our team is here to guide you every step of the way.
Louisville Airplane Accident Victims Can Rely on Kaufman & Stigger
When a defective part causes an airplane accident, it’s rarely just one thing going wrong. Usually, it’s a series of small problems piling up — a part that shouldn’t have passed inspection, warnings that were missed, or corners that were cut somewhere along the line. For passengers and families, it can feel like the ground has disappeared beneath your feet.
At Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, we understand how overwhelming that is. We can take the lead in getting the right information to hold whoever was responsible accountable. Set up a free consultation today to get started.
