A patient was killed in a recent helicopter accident in southeastern Oklahoma en route to a Tulsa medical facility. According to The Associated Press, the helicopter accident occurred near the Choctaw National Health Care Center. Officials have not stated if the patient died because of injuries sustained in the crash or from a previous medical condition. The helicopter’s flight nurse was transported to a Tulsa hospital in stable condition. The pilot and a medic suffered minor injuries, and it is unclear if any other helicopter occupants were injured. The accident is the third deadly crash involving an EagleMedLLC helicopter in Oklahoma since 2010.
The executive director of the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems has stated that EagleMed’s accreditation will be reviewed following the crash. This fatal Oklahoma helicopter crash occurred less than four months after two people were killed in an Oklahoma City helicopter crash on February 22, 2013. Prior to that accident, a helicopter pilot and nurse were killed in a helicopter crash in Kingfisher on July 22, 2010.
There are many potential causes of helicopter crashes. Investigators of helicopter accidents must determine if the pilot was qualified, if careful considerations were made regarding the weather conditions, and if the transportation company properly maintained the helicopter. The outcome of their investigation may affect who can be held liable for the damages suffered by the victims of the crash.
The family of an individual who has been killed in an Oklahoma helicopter or plane accident can seek financial compensation for their losses from the at-fault party. A skilled Oklahoma personal injury attorney will make sure that the family receives fair compensation for their tragic losses. Negligent pilots and transportation companies can be held liable for funeral expenses, lost future wages, and other related damages.
