When a Flight for Life Becomes a Fight for Life (and Compensation)
On July 3, 2015, flight nurse Dave Repsher suffered severe burns on over 90 percent of his body after a Frisco helicopter crash.
Here in Colorado, many of us are familiar with Repsher’s story of tragedy and recovery — a story he’s bravely shared in detail with local media sources like Colorado Public Radio.
The Flight for Life helicopter, an Airbus AS-350, was airborne for less than a minute before crashing to the ground. Both passengers survived the impact, but within seconds, fuel began pouring out of the helicopter and a massive fire erupted. The flames ultimately contributed to the death of pilot Pat Mahany and critically wounded Repsher.
When all was said and done, Repsher was left with millions of dollars in medical bills. He received a kidney transplant and was in a coma for more than half a year.
Upon investigation, the fault seemed to lie with a poorly manufactured fuel tank that, “looks more like a milk jug.”
Through a loophole in the law—one that members of the Colorado Congressional delegation have since tried to close—helicopter manufacturers have been allowed to build thousands of new helicopters with these antiquated fuel systems.
I was hired to oversee Repsher’s workers’ compensation case and secure compensation from his employer, Catholic Health Initiatives. I also helped resolve subrogation issues—the amount that Repsher had to pay back to the workers’ compensation carrier out of his personal injury settlement.
As part of the personal injury lawsuit, Airbus Helicopters (the company that owned and operated the helicopter involved in the crash) and Air Methods, Inc. (the company that operates Flight for Life) were both named as defendants in the case and will be paying a record-shattering $100 million for the injury settlement, which the Repsher family plans to use to cover their medical costs and raise awareness about helicopter safety.
Dave Repsher’s harrowing survival story is not one I’ll soon forget. It was my honor to fight for Repsher to ensure that he and his family received the just compensation they deserved. We wish him the very best recovery.
Whether my clients are involved in a tragic work-related crash that makes national news or they suffer from an occupational illness that gradually lowers their quality of life, my team and I fight for the rights of all injured workers in Colorado.
Everyone deserves that right.
About Mack Babcock
Colorado injury attorney Mack Babcock has spent a majority of his professional career committed to fighting for the rights of injured workers in Denver, Littleton, Aurora and throughout the state. In his most recent venture as founder of The Babcock Law Firm, Mack uses his extensive legal experience, insight and professional relationships to help Colorado workers obtain all of the legal compensation afforded to them under state and federal workers’ compensation laws.