Families of the victims from Wednesday’s deadly plane crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport are starting to file claims against the government. Their case might get stronger because President Trump and some of his top officials have publicly admitted fault in the accident, which killed 67 people.
Lawyers from a leading aviation disaster law firm say they’ve been contacted by some families looking to sue. This firm previously helped families of victims in the 2009 Continental Airlines crash in Buffalo, which killed 50 people. The lawyers believe that recent comments by Trump, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could help the families’ cases if they decide to move forward.
Justin Green, a lawyer at the firm, said that Duffy and Trump have acknowledged mistakes, which is unusual for the government. These public statements could be used as evidence in court. Trump blamed the crash on an Army helicopter flying too high, above the 200-foot limit near the airport. Hegseth also said the Defense Department would take responsibility for the accident.
The families may sue the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for air traffic control errors and the Department of Defense (DOD) for any mistakes by the helicopter pilots. The law firm has experience in similar cases, like the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse and the Boeing 737 MAX crashes.
To sue the government, families must first file a notice under the Federal Tort Claims Act. If the government doesn’t resolve the claim, they can file a lawsuit after six months. The case would be decided by a judge, not a jury. Families could also sue American Airlines and its subsidiary if their pilots are found to be at fault.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the crash, but their final report could take over a year. Lawyers won’t wait for the NTSB’s conclusions and will use flight data, media reports, and their own experts to build their cases.
Calculating damages will be a key part of the lawsuits. Lawyers will consider both economic losses, like lost income, and non-economic damages, such as emotional pain and suffering. Each case will be handled individually, and the claims could be worth millions of dollars.
In summary, the families of the crash victims are preparing legal action against the government and possibly the airlines. Public admissions of fault by top officials could strengthen their cases, and the lawsuits could take years to resolve.
