In 2023, Delta Airlines was recognized as the world’s top airline company in revenue. They had nearly $54 billion in profit, according to Forbes. Today, Delta continues to be one of the largest airlines, with up to 5 thousand flights per day. With this high volume and frequency of flights, the airline faces greater odds of encountering cancellations or, worse, accidents.
On February 17, 2025, a Delta plane that flew from Minneapolis crashed at the Toronto Pearson Airport. The wing snapped, and the plane flipped, leaving passengers hanging upside down. The airplane was carrying 80 people, and the incident left 18 injured, according to the Daily Mail.
Delta has offered a $30,000 payment to passengers with "no strings attached," but experts remain critical, and passengers have started filing lawsuits. Accepting the payment as goodwill does not affect the passenger’s right to sue.
Under the Montreal Convention, a passenger can receive up to $200,000 when an accident happens and a higher amount if the airline has been proven to be negligent. In this type of case, the advice of an aviation accident lawyer is crucial to help passengers and their families in handling settlements and lawsuits amid recovery.
This is not the first time a Delta plane met an unfortunate landing. In March 2015, Delta Airlines MD88 skidded off the LaGuardia Airport runaway, leaving injured passengers onboard. The Port Authority of New York has filed a lawsuit against the airlines. In addition, a 19-year-old university student also filed a lawsuit against Delta for personal injuries suffered from the incident.
The airline is now facing at least two lawsuits for personal injuries suffered in the Toronto crash, one of which is from a passenger from Texas who was allegedly drenched in jet fuel when the plane flipped upside down. More lawsuits are expected from passengers, according to experts.
In the unfortunate case of fatalities, immediate family members can file wrongful death lawsuits. This includes spouses, children, and parents.
Many passengers walk away with injuries after a crash. Passengers who suffered injuries in a Delta plane accident can file a lawsuit against the airline. The requirements for filing vary per location. For instance, the Montreal Convention makes a passenger eligible for up to $200,000 even without having to prove that the airline was negligent.
To navigate the complexities of these policies, especially with certain time limits of filing (two years under the Montreal Convention), you need a dedicated aviation accidents lawyer to guide you through the legal process. Contact our aviation accident attorney to get a free evaluation of your case.