Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Employees

If you or someone in your family has been injured as a result of an aircraft accident, Maurice Blackburn's aviation law experts will give you the best chance of making a successful plane crash compensation claim. Our experienced aviation lawyers will identify the best way to make your claim, and can initiate overseas legal action on your behalf.

What is an aviation or aviation-related matter?

If a matter has any potential defendant or factual element involving aviation, or the airline industry, then it is an ‘aviation or aviation-related’ matter.

This includes death and injury cases involving:

• ‘aircraft’ defined as: A commercial domestic or international airline, foreign airline, scenic flight operation, charter flight operation, aeromedical flight operation, private flight operation, skydiving, aerial craf​t used for work such as crop-dusting, aerial spraying or spotting, mustering, ultralight and recreational/home built aircraft such as ‘RA-Aus’ registered aircraft, experimental aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aircraft (drones) as well as fixed wing aircraft
• where the death or injury occurred at the airport or aerodrome terminal, while embarking the aircraft, onboard, or while disembarking the aircraft (including situations where a passenger is transferring flights)
• any country or pairings of countries (for example, a slip and fall on an aerobridge while embarking a plane at London, for a flight to Dubai)
• situations where the only loss may be psychological, and
• enquiries from relatives of those lost in air disasters and crashes (even where they would not traditionally be thought of as the ‘next of kin’ for the purposes of a dependency claim)

It also involves:

• injuries or significant financial losses brought about by flight delays or cancellations
• matters arising from breaches of or insufficient safety and security at airports or on aircraft (eg terrorist acts at airports)
• injuries and grievances due to discrimination or lack of services for customers with specific needs (eg wheelchair access on a domestic flight), and
• death or injuries in airports.

Aviation law has no geographic limitation. The facts in question may have happened in any state in Australia, or any country in the world, but still should be considered aviation or aviation-related.

Aviation claims can involve elements of workers compensation and associated law – for example, if the injured person was travelling for work, or was an operating member of the flight crew, or even where an employer has chartered a flight to allow its workers to conduct operations such as aerial spotting or transporting people or goods.

Maurice Blackburn’s employment lawyers have a proven track record in providing advice and representation on a wide range of complex legal issues, from negotiating the terms of employment contracts, to enforcing bonus schemes and discretionary entitlements. That’s because our employment law division is recognised nationally as Australia’s leading executive employment law practice.

What do we do?

We provide advice on all aspects of the employment relationship. Some of the areas that we provide advice in relation to include:

• Advice on new or varied contracts of employment, for example a new job or a promotion;
• Workplace bullying;
• Discrimination, for example due to mental illness;
• Workplace investigations;
• Unsatisfactory performance and/or misconduct allegations;
• Sexual harassment;
• Parental leave and return to work arrangements;
• Dismissal;
• Adverse action, for example someone who has been treated badly or dismissed because they made a complaint in the workplace;
• Redundancy pay and entitlements;
• Negotiated exits from employment;
• Deeds of release for example when the employment relationship concludes;
• Restraint of trade after employment;
• Professional disciplinary proceedings; and
• Misleading and deceptive conduct.

If you have any question on Employment and Industrial Law please see your union for a referral.

You have the right to be safe when you’re in a public place. If you have been hurt as the result of another person or organisation’s negligent behaviour, you may be able to make a public liability claim for compensation.

Public liability law covers a wide range of circumstances where you may have been injured, or where someone close to you has died, due to the negligent acts of a third party.  If you have been hurt in a public place, such as a shopping centre, a park, or even on the footpath, through no fault of your own, then you may be able to make a public liability claim.

What do we do

The public liability practice assists anyone that has sustained injuries other than at work or in a motor vehicle accident. There are various circumstances in which a public liability claim may be pursued, including:

• slips and falls in supermarkets or other retail outlets
• dog attacks
• falls on public or private property
• police and other assaults
• boating accidents
• playground accidents
• injuries sustained in sporting activities, where the sporting premises are in disrepair or poorly maintained
• residential accidents.

Superannuation is not only available when in retirement, but can provide an income source if you have to stop work because of injury or sickness.  This can be particularly important where the injury or sickness is not covered by a compensation scheme.

Maurice Blackburn has the largest and most successful superannuation and insurance practice in Australia and can assist clients with early access to superannuation, or claiming disability benefits, income protection and life insurance.

Our lawyers help clients track down their super and take on cases on a no win, no fee basis.

We also have the largest general insurance claims practice in Australia, and can help you with your flood, fire, motor vehicle or travel insurance claim. If you are unhappy with the way your claim is being handled by the large insurance firms, contact one of our skilled insurance lawyers for advice.

Sexual, physical and institutional abuse

If you have suffered from sexual, physical or institutional abuse, no amount of financial redress can take away the pain caused. In many cases of institutional abuse the injuries can be severe and long-lasting, often staying with survivors throughout their lifetime. However, you may be entitled to compensation to support you.

Abuse claims lawyers

Our expert abuse claims lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve. Our dedicated team understand the difficulties you are facing, and will make sure the process is as simple as possible.

Specially trained in trauma-informed practice, our lawyers and support staff will approach your claim in a respectful, discrete manner to ensure your specific needs are met.

We have experience managing claims for clients who were subjected to abuse within organisations including churches, church- and state-run institutions, public and private schools, youth and sporting clubs, foster homes, reformatory schools and prisons.