Florida Personal Injury Blog
The Future of Space Travel Accident Litigation and Insurance Claims
The Florida Senate has given its approval to a measure that grants liability protection for suborbital space travel passengers and staff. This legislation aims to shield aerospace companies from civil lawsuits in case passengers are injured or killed during space travel. The recently approved SB 1318 would provide limited immunity from personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits if it passes the House and is signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. The intention behind this legislation is to attract aerospace companies and create job opportunities in Florida.
A professor of law and director of the Global Space Law Center at Cleveland State University College of Law explained that the purpose of this legislation is to attract suborbital space flight industry, not companies like SpaceX, which primarily focuses on orbital and lunar missions. He highlights that suborbital and orbital space travel are distinct, with SpaceX using more advanced and powerful rockets like the Starship.