Any type of airline, airplane or airport accident can result in serious personal injuries. At Hecht & Hecht, LLP, in New York City, we handle a wide variety of aviation accident cases, including international flight accidents.
Whether you were injured throughout the course of getting on or off an international flight, were injured on an aircraft, our firm’s attorneys have the knowledge and skill required to effectively and aggressively protect your rights.
The Montreal Convention
If you had a round-trip international ticket and are injured throughout the course of traveling to and from your international destination, you may be able to file a claim under the Montreal Convention.
This Convention establishes a set of rules that pertain to international travel and allows for recovery for injuries that may be sustained during international travel. This is a complex treaty that can be difficult to understand without experienced legal counsel. Our firm has extensive experience handling international flight accidents under the Montreal Convention (and its predecessor the Warsaw Convention).
Under the Montreal Convention, an accident has been defined as “an unexpected or unusual event or happening that is external to the passenger.” The Montreal Convention provides for protection after for certain types of accidents and injuries sustained in the below types of scenarios:
- At an international airport while embarking on an international flight
- At an international airport while desembarking an international flight
- While aboard an international flight
Time Limitations on International Flight Accident Cases
A claim under the Montreal Convention must be made within two years of the happening of the accident. This is two year time limit is extremely essential to note, as it increases the importance of exploring your rights with the help of experienced counsel immediately following an international flight.