The Lawyer's Role in Emergency Preparedness, Response and Accident Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency that is responsible for investigating civil aviation accidents as well as significant accidents involving transportation by railroad, highway, marine and pipeline. For many companies and their lawyers, the first encounter with the NTSB will be after a major accident has occurred. The post-accident environment is positively hostile to learning, however, and those who have not trained are prone to many basic mistakes, sometimes with substantial legal consequences. 

In this course, Dentons Partner Dane Jaques addresses what you need to know to understand the NTSB and the lawyer’s role in emergency preparedness, emergency response and accident investigation in the aftermath of a major accident. Mr. Jaques has represented dozens of clients in investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board and various foreign accident investigation authorities.

Learning Objectives:

I.     Understand the workings of the NTSB and the regulations and how they influence the investigation

II.    Anticipate and plan for issues arising from the NTSB party process

III.   Recognize basic mistakes that frequently occur in the absence of preparation

IV.   Identify appropriate training topics for clients and their attorneys