LADD SANGER HELPS SECURE $12.1M VERDICT IN BEECHCRAFT BARON 58 CRASH

The Texas Supreme Court denied review of a Houston Court of Appeals decision affirming a $12.1 million verdict awarded in December 2022 to three families arising from the April 22, 2019 crash of a Beechcraft Baron 58.

The aircraft was flying from Houston to Kerrville when it crashed, tragically resulting in multiple fatalities. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board determined that fuel exhaustion caused the crash. The pilot, an employee of Raymond James & Associates, was found negligent and acting within the course and scope of his employment at the time of the flight, leading to the employer being held responsible.

Ladd Sanger represented the wife and children of one of the passengers, securing a $3.5 million recovery as part of the overall verdict. The judgment — affirmed on appeal and left undisturbed by the Texas Supreme Court — underscores the depth of experience required to successfully take complex aviation cases through trial and defend those results at the highest level.

For the families involved, the case spanned years of litigation, trial, and appeal. As one client shared:

“Recommended as the best aviation attorney in Texas, Ladd Sanger met my three adolescent sons and me at the lowest point in our lives in 2019. For the past seven years—from depositions and mediations through successful jury trial and victorious appeals, Ladd has never failed to express to us his compassion and support. 

He advocated for my family, collaborated with the other victims’ legal team, and kept us informed every step of the way. Ladd’s warmth, modesty, and passionate commitment to the law reassured us in our difficult time, and in demonstrating professional ethics, he modeled for my sons what it means to be a good man.“ -Ann C. 

At Payne Mitchell Ramsey Sanger, aviation cases are a core focus of the firm’s practice, representing individuals and families in complex, high stakes matters involving catastrophic injury and loss.