About Katzman, Lampert & Stoll

The ethical rules of some states do not permit law firms to present themselves as “specialists” in a particular field. Other states permit law firms to describe themselves as specialists if a certain percentage of their cases focus on that area of law. At Katzman, Lampert & Stoll our practice is devoted exclusively to investigating the causes of aircraft and helicopter accidents and the prosecution of personal injury and wrongful death claims.

Over Five Decades of Successful Representation in Aviation Cases

Over the past fifty-plus years, the firm has represented hundreds of people hurt or killed in airplane and helicopter accidents. We have also been at the forefront of some of the most notable air disasters. Our firm represented several families after the 1996 plane crash of TWA 800 off Long Island, New York. In that crash, 230 passengers died, leaving hundreds of grieving family members without answers. As a result of our hard work and the hard work of others, Congress passed the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act. A sampling of commercial airline crashes in which our aviation law firm has represented clients include:

Continental Flight 1404 in Denver, Colorado
Comair Flight 5191 in Lexington, Kentucky
American Airlines Flight 587 in New York, New York
KAL Flight 801 in Guam
TWA Flight 800 near Long Island, New York
Comair Flight 3272 near Monroe, Michigan
USAir Flight 427 near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
United Airlines Flight 585 near Colorado Springs, Colorado
Cebu Pacific Flight 387 in the Philippines
United Airlines Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa
United Express Flight 5925 ground collision near Quincy, Illinois
American Eagle air disaster near Roselawn, Indiana
Ground collision of Northwest Airlines flights 229 and 1482 in Detroit, Michigan
Continental Airlines Flight 1713 in Denver, Colorado
United Airlines Flight 811 explosion over the Pacific
Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in Detroit, Michigan
American Airlines DC-10 disaster in Chicago, Illinois
TWA Flight 840 explosion inbound to Athens, Greece
Arrow Air disaster in Gander, Newfoundland
Southwest 1380 uncontained engine failure
United Flight 4933 crash at Presque Isle, ME

The Aviation Crash Law We Practice

One Hundred Combined Years of Aviation Crash Law Experience

Aviation Law is a complex and extremely technical field. The partners at Katzman, Lampert & Stoll together have more than one hundred years of collective experience practicing exclusively in aviation law. We understand the state and federal statutory and case law, federal regulatory law, and international treaties. This complex legal landscape is the background against which the sciences of aerodynamics, mechanical engineering, piloting, meteorology, and accident reconstruction form the substance of our clients’ claims.

Holding All Liable Parties Responsible

When a product is defectively designed or manufactured, the manufacturer and seller can be held liable for any resulting harm. We assert all available legal claims to protect our clients’ interests and assert our clients’ rights.

The Legal Complexities of Aviation Accident Cases

There are many complex and intricate considerations when evaluating an aviation case. We know and analyze all the relevant, competing factors, including potential application of federal and multiple states’ laws. We also consider the state in which a lawsuit should be filed. The choice of location is critical because it can affect our clients’ rights against a particular defendant. Anyone contemplating the pursuit of a lawsuit arising from an aviation accident should only do so with experienced counsel who understands the multitude of complex legal considerations in complex aviation cases.

International Air Crash Lawyers

For cases arising from international air travel on airlines, the United States and most modern countries have ratified a treaty called The Warsaw Convention of 1929 and The Montreal Accords of 1999. We are well versed in this area of international law.

The Cases We Handle

Katzman, Lampert & Stoll represents families of people killed in general aviation aircraft crashes, people who are injured but survive those crashes, and people who are injured or killed while aboard commercial airlines. We understand the complexities of the medical conditions experienced by the victims who survive aircraft crashes.

We handle personal injury cases, where the victims of an aircraft crash have suffered severe burns, spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, orthopedic, and neurological injuries. These cases require careful, in-depth preparation, including expert testimony and testimony from treating doctors to describe our clients’ injuries and to educate jurors about the human body, trauma, rehabilitation, and future life care of our injured clients.

In wrongful death and survivor cases we knowledgeably and skillfully present our clients’ claims for pre-impact and post-impact conscious pain and suffering experienced by the deceased and for the mental anguish and economic losses suffered by the surviving family members.

We know how to present our clients’ damages claims effectively and meaningfully. We use doctors, mental health professionals, economists, and forensic experts to explain the injuries suffered by our clients and their families.

Where We Practice

We practice law in every state throughout the United States. Each state permits lawyers from other states to practice “pro hac vice” which translates to “for the occasion.” The attorneys at Katzman, Lampert & Stoll are admitted to practice law in Michigan, Florida, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and California. When practicing in a state in which our lawyers are not already admitted, we associate with a local law firm for admission pro hac vise at no added expense to our clients.

Referring Counsel

We protect the interests of referring attorneys at no additional cost to the clients. We work with estate lawyers and lawyers in all types of practices who refer their clients’ aviation cases to us. This reflects the reality that some types of complex cases should be handled by attorneys experienced in the subject matter. Aviation law is a prime example.

If your client experienced a tragedy in connection with an aircraft crash, it is of paramount importance that you act quickly to protect their legal rights. Never wait until the National Transportation Safety Board has completed its investigation and do not rely on the NTSB’s probable cause determination because it is inadmissible in civil litigation. Also, the NTSB is not subject to time constraints, consequently, the NTSB can, and has, taken longer to complete its investigation than applicable statutes of limitation. Moreover, the NTSB is not subject to the rigorous standards for admission of expert witness opinion testimony that is required in a court. The NTSB can speculate, can reach unreliable conclusions, and can be told what to conclude by manufacturers who most often are the real entities performing the investigation. Therefore, it is important to involve experienced aviation counsel early in the process so that the appropriate legal channels and demands for retention and production of evidence can be timely asserted.

To underscore the importance of acting quickly and not awaiting the NTSB’s final determinations, USA Today authored an article called “Safety Last: Lies and Coverups Mask Roots of Small-Plane Carnage.” In that article, a USA Today investigative reporter discussed several cases that were handled by the lawyers at Katzman, Lampert & Stoll. The report discusses how in those horrific accidents, the NTSB wrongly tried to blame the accidents on pilot error when in fact the crashes were caused by defective products. Click here to read the article.

As soon as practical following an aircraft crash, evidence must be preserved; radar data must be gathered before it is lost; and there are a host of matters requiring immediate attention. We understand what needs to be accomplished and are ready to discuss these issues and evaluate your aviation case.