GREENACRES, Fla. — Nine people lost their lives when a Learjet crashed into Military Trail in Greenacres on Sunday. But the devastation extends beyond those on board, leaving at least one family on the ground without access to their home, their business and the life they knew before the crash.
Now, that family has hired an attorney to investigate what went wrong and determine whether anyone could be held legally responsible.
Ricardo Martinez-Cid, a partner at Miami law firm Podhurst Orseck, told WPTV his clients were inside the area impacted by the crash when debris struck, injuring family members and sending them to the hospital.
Their home was damaged and remains inaccessible. Their food truck, which they relied on for their livelihood, was also lost.
"We want to be really sensitive in talking about how this has impacted their lives because it's been horrific for them," Martinez-Cid said. "But they're sensitive to the fact that nine people lost their lives on board that aircraft, and this is a horrible tragedy."
Martinez-Cid said the family is now grappling with the emotional and financial consequences of a disaster they never saw coming.
"Although my clients, you know, lost their home, they lost their livelihood in the food truck that they operated. They were injured and went to the hospital, and they're dealing with the trauma of what they witnessed and experienced," he said. "They're lucky, they're blessed because nine folks lost their lives."
Region C Palm Beach County
Hundreds displaced by Learjet crash wait to return home
Searching for answers — and accountability
Martinez-Cid, a board-certified aviation attorney with more than two decades of experience, said his firm is conducting its own investigation into the crash.
The goal is to determine what caused the Learjet to go down and whether any individual, company or other entity bears legal responsibility.
"You don't want to jump to conclusions," Martinez-Cid said. "But in every aviation disaster ... you're really looking at man, the machine and the environment."
That means examining several potential factors, including weather conditions, pilot decisions, air traffic control communications and the aircraft's mechanical performance.
"We're looking at the weather, we're looking at the piloting, we're looking at how the aircraft responds, we're looking at the communications between the tower and with the pilots," he said. "We're going to look very closely at how the aircraft responded to what was going on as well."
Martinez-Cid said his firm has previously handled aviation cases involving aircraft manufacturers, pilots, operators and the federal government.
"I've tried cases against the United States government on air traffic control weather instructions on the sufficiency of them," he said. "We've also done plenty of cases ... against Lears, specifically Cessna and the manufacturers, to determine if there was any structural issue or any mechanical issue with the aircraft."
While investigators have not determined what caused Sunday's crash, Martinez-Cid said publicly available information has already provided several areas worth examining.
"With the data that has already been publicly available, which includes a lot of the communications and what we know about the weather already, there's a lot to look at and investigate in this case," he said.
No conclusions about liability have been reached, and Martinez-Cid did not identify a specific party his clients intend to pursue legal action against.
Why families are conducting their own investigations
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the federal investigation into the crash, but Martinez-Cid said families may need independent experts to evaluate the evidence and explore potential legal claims.
"Unfortunately, the NTSB process can be very slow," he said. "And also the conclusions of the NTSB are not usable in any action in court. So families need to get their own answers."
Martinez-Cid said his firm plans to work with aviation experts to independently analyze available data, including communications, weather information and the aircraft's performance.
"So we look at it from all angles, and we make sure our experts get all the data that they can," he said.
Families of those killed also seeking legal guidance
Martinez-Cid confirmed his firm has also been in contact with attorneys connected to families of people killed aboard the Learjet.
"We've been contacted by, which is often the case, attorneys that either are friends with the family or have been contacted by the family because of our expertise globally on these issues," he said. "And so we've been speaking to some."
He said those conversations are not necessarily limited to potential lawsuits.
"We have experts that can talk to the families and explain the different things that they're hearing and what's going on, and I think that's an important thing for the family to have."
Martinez-Cid previously served as lead counsel for death and injury cases stemming from the 2021 Champlain Towers South condominium collapse in Surfside.
He said that experience reinforced the importance of recognizing the different kinds of losses families endure after a disaster.
'Their life has been turned upside down'
For the family Martinez-Cid represents in Greenacres, the immediate future remains uncertain.
Their home is inaccessible, their source of income is gone, and they are recovering from injuries and the trauma of witnessing a deadly plane crash.
Martinez-Cid declined to identify the family, saying they are still struggling emotionally with the aftermath.
But he emphasized that while his clients recognize how fortunate they are to have survived, their lives have been permanently changed.
"Their life has been turned upside down," he said. "They're going to be living with this trauma forever. They've lost their home. They've lost their livelihood."
Still, he said the family remains deeply aware of the grief experienced by those who lost loved ones.
"Their hearts really go out to those who have lost loved ones," Martinez-Cid said.
He hopes the investigation will eventually provide answers for everyone affected by the crash, regardless of whether they were aboard the plane or on the ground.
"They all suffer loss, and you have to respect each individual family member, and you have to respect each individual case and treat them all with the care and the respect that they deserve," he said.
The NTSB investigation remains ongoing, and the cause of the crash has not been determined.
