Being PIC

[Henning]

There is no corporate or LLC shielding from your own negligence, that's what your insurance is for. The 'shielding' only protects others who also have a liability stake in the craft from each others negligence, ie the party you injure can't sue your partners in the plane that were not involved in the accident.

 

[Anthony]

There is no corporate or LLC shielding from your own negligence, that's what your insurance is for. The 'shielding' only protects others who also have a liability stake in the craft from each others negligence, ie the party you injure can't sue your partners in the plane that were not involved in the accident.

That's what I thought. The LLC only shields you from the negilgence of the others that own shares in the corp. You can still get dinged for your own negligence, and why a lot of folks are now going with $1M smooth on their insurance.

I wonder if keeping major assets in a seperate corp would do anything?

 

[denverpilot]

Also if you are aware of someone else's negligence, and you don't stop them, prepare to be sued also. Especially if their negligence goes beyond negligence into the realm of gross negligence. No Corporate entity will save you from having to defend yourself then.

And remember, anyone and anything can be named in a lawsuit. Even if you are shielded, you still may have to pay an attorney to go to court and get you off the lawsuit.

God Bless 'merica. You get as just much Justice as you can afford.

 

[raider]

If you don't want to drink, will you go buy beer because of a commercial? I'm not really defending the practice of ambulance chasing, but lets put the blame of litigation where it belongs, with the litigants looking for a jackpot, not the lawyers. As I say over and over, the problem is with our entire cultural thinking, not one or two select components in the system.

The drinking can offer me lowered inhibitions, the lawsuit is more enticing with all the money they advertise. It's an easy sell for lawyers. And yes, not me but people will buy beer because of the commercial to get the ladies - once you open a beer, you get ladies and parties as advertised. I agree, the main blame should be on the litigants, but they are enticed by the claims of getting 'a big settlement'.

Unfortunately, that won't prevent your passenger's relatives from suing you for negligence or some such. They are not bound by your agreement.
-Skip

but it doesn't hurt! see this case

 

[LJS1993]

The Force is strong in this one... You made the right call.

His second question is OK by me; shows me he'd possibly be OK with all the safety "rituals" associated with even a simple day VFR joyride... but his first question- ugh. And based on the other traits you mention, I'd make the same call you did.

Our glider club just got a new member, and he brought his cousin along the other Sunday. both on their motorcycles. The cousin, an easygoing , likeable guy, got my Spidey-sense going when he showed a lot of interest in the whole operation, yet also could not stop "joking" about how crazy we all were, and how he'd never fly in any of the aircraft seen that day, etc. He was joking, but not really. I could see that, even though I'd never met him before. I half-expected him to decide finally to take a hop, and I was damn sure it would not be me flying him.
Sample:
Him: "Are these things safe?"
Me: "Statistically, this kind of flying is about as safe as riding motorcycles."
Him: "OK, but...how high do these things go?"
Me: "Highest I've gotten here in these gliders was 6000 feet."
Him: "Wow, no way... not me!"
Me: "Actually, altitude is your friend, especially with gliders. Even if something's wrong, as long as the wings are still attached, you have more time and more options to get down safe."
Him: "Yeah, yeah, that makes sense; right. But you guys are crazy!"

In my mind it's pretty ironic that a guy on a motorcycle was calling you guys crazy.