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What Our Clients Say

I am very pleased with attorney Curtis Bickers and the entire law firm for their diligence in handling my case. I would gladly recommend them to others and use them again if the need arises. Thank you very much and may God continually bless all of you.

Sincerely,

Walter W.
Office Manager
Houston, Texas
Dear Curtis,

I would like to express my gratitude for the way you have taken care of this case. Thank you for your advice and encouragement during a time when I was completely bewildered by what needed to be done and how very much needed doing.

You and your staff made a very difficult time much easier for me and I appreciate your work on my behalf.

Sincerely,

Darlene R.
Dear Mr. Beckcom:

I never got a chance to say thank you for the wonderful job you did on my daughter's case. My daughter will be graduating in June from High School with cum laude status. She will be attending college at U.T. Austin and majoring in Communications. Thanks to your efforts her college education has been taken care of. Thank you again from both of us.

J. Perez

Houston, Texas
I know that my attorney is good because he won my case and I would recommend him to others.
Words cannot express the thanks and gratefulness that we have for Vuk and his company. His tireless efforts and aggressive style meant the world to us and he changed our lives forever. I will always be loyal and grateful to V&B for taking on my case and being committed from the beginning until the end. I highly recommend these guys with 100% assuredness that they will work hard for you and help you receive what you deserve.

Mark S.
Mechanic
Pasadena, Texas
From the moment I came to this law firm, I felt peace in my heart. You all were my voice. Thank you Mr. Curtis, you are a great attorney. I want to especially thank you for your effort and dedication and the good heart you put in my case. You are very professional. God Bless you always.

Alba

Therapist
Houston, Texas
Sincere thanks for this depo ... really excellent ... Beckcom/the firm is tops ... for such exhaustive preparation ... WOW ... what a depo.

Houston lawyer commenting on deposition of defense orthopedic doctor taken by V&B
Your law firm did a great job getting the case settled. You were helpful and I would recommend you to anyone.

Betty J. Richmond

Retired
Houston, Texas
Brian & Curtis

Thank you for all you've done for me in regards to my case.

Sincerely

-Raymond S.

Seafood Worker
Deltona, Florida
I would like to thank Brian Beckcom and his staff for their professionalism and their support. . . I knew when I met Brian that he was more than qualified to handle my father's wrongful death case . . .if I needed his help again I wouldn't hesitate to call.

Sabrina M, U.S. Air Force enlisted

Houston, Texas
Just when we thought we would never find someone who would listen to our story, V&B opened their doors to us. For one month, I spoke to 25 lawyers and the answer I received was "your case is a lost case, no one will ever represent you."

Aridana Perez (mother of Miguel Perez, Jr., auto accident victim)
Houston, Texas
I'd like to thank the staff at Vujasinovic & Beckcom for the professionalism and courtesy they displayed on my case.

Kurt R., Houston, Texas
I also have a heart full of gratitude for the way you presented such an excellent court case on behalf of me and my kids.

Gloria H., Wichita, Kansas
Brian, I recommend your maritime book highly. I also happily recommend you, personally.

-Captain Jim Vickers
I sat on one of your juries early this year. I observed your eloquence and complete passion....you seem to be a man of utmost qualifications.

- Juror on one of Vuk's cases (name withheld)
Vuk, it has been such a wonderful experience working with you and your staff. Thank you so much for all the hard work that you did to help my family and I survive through the most difficult time of our lives.

Phuong N.
Houston, Texas
I was injured in an auto accident in Houston, and was referred to Vuk by another attorney. I couldn't work as a result of the accident and desperately needed back and knee surgery.. . . Vuk was able to get me a generous settlement within about a year of taking my case.

Steven R.
Deer Park, Texas
After my two-year old son was killed by an 18-wheeler driver and me and my daughter were badly injured, we hired Brian and Vuk to represent us on the recommendation of another lawyer.

This was the hardest time in our lives and it was great knowing we had you there to represent us.

Justin and Sonya H., Splendora, Texas

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Disclaimer

We designed this website to provide information to consumers, injured people, and their families. Our goal is to level the playing field between consumers and insurance companies and expose the tricks, traps, and techniques they use to cheat injured people out of their legal rights. We also let consumers know about legal news, including verdicts and settlements and other interesting legal information.

But please understand that nothing on this website is meant to provide legal information about your specific case, create an attorney-client relationship, or imply that the results of your legal case will be the same as some other case.

Are Aging Aircraft Really Safe?

Recently a Qantas 747 jumbo jet was forced to make an emergency landing after a hole was blown into its side. Terrified passengers donned their oxygen masks as the plane made a rapid emergency descent into Manila. Nobody was injured and all passengers and crew were able to disembark safely. However, later reports revealed that some oxygen masks were in poor shape and still others failed to descend, leaving some passengers without oxygen for several minutes.

As a result of the accident, Qantas was ordered to inspect the oxygen bottles on all of its 747 aircraft, as exploding oxygen was one theory for the hole. The mysterious hole in the side of the 747 and the suspected problems with the oxygen masks have caused many to wonder – are aging aircraft really safe?

Aging Airplane Program

New airplanes are expensive, which is one reason that older aircraft are very popular around the world. The average age of general aviation aircraft is just under 30 years. The use of these aging aircraft is one reason that the FAA manages an Aging Airplane Program, and often issues ADs – airworthiness directives, aimed at addressing specific safety concerns or unsafe conditions on specific airplane types. This program was started for three reasons. First, because officials noted that airplanes are being operated beyond original design service goals. Second, because original maintenance plans were not required to address potential age-related issues. Finally, the 1988 Aloha accident prompted formation of this program in October of 1988.

The program addresses aging issues by working with the airline industry to achieve safety gains like a voluntary fuel tank inspection survey, voluntary implementation of maintenance actions to address both aging structural and wiring issues, and workshops and training seminars. Of the 700 some ADs issued by the FAA, since 1990 more than 540 ADs were for airplane structural issues, since 1996 more than 85 ADs were or fuel tank safety issues, and since 1998 more than 110 ADs were for wiring safety issues since 1998. 700 airworthiness directives might make you ask, when should these old planes be retired, once and for all?

How old is too old?

It seems like a simple question, at least to those outside of the aviation industry. At what point is a plane too old to fly safely? Unfortunately, it isn’t an easy question to answer, as many factors come into play when determining if an aircraft is still safe to fly. In addition, as parts are replaced, repairs made, and body work performed over the craft’s life, a thirty year old plane that has been well maintained may actually be safer than a much younger plane that hasn’t been treated as well.

Aircraft age is more than just age in years, some might say everything but the age is what really matters. To truly measure an aircraft’s age, the hours it has been used and its condition must be taken into account, as each affects the other. In addition, the materials used to construct the plane dramatically affect its useful life, as do the conditions under which it has been flown, the maintenance it received over its life, and more.

The challenges in maintaining a safe fleet of aircraft can mean that sometimes issues slip through the cracks. The right maintenance isn’t performed when needed, companies may try to save money by doing less, or unforeseen issues may arise that nobody anticipated – leading to a serious accident or a shocking incident like what happened with Qantas.

If you’re unfortunate enough to be involved in an airline accident, it is imperative that you find a law firm skilled with airplane crash accidents. Our attorneys understand the issues involved in airplane incidents, and are ready to use their expertise to ensure that you receive the compensation and justice you deserve. Please contact Vujasinovic & Beckcom today.

Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C

1001 Texas Avenue, Suite 1020

Houston, TX 77002

Phone: 713.224.7800

Fax: 713.224.7801