Lawsuit filed in wake of the Reno Air Show Accident

[Flipperk]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45121912/ns/us_news-life/


This is the first of many...but I came to the realization while reading that this family who filed the lawsuit is from where I currently live, Friendswood. Never thought this event would hit so close to home..

[B-17]

Well, we knew it was coming

[Babalonian]

"Some people say this was an accident," said Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee, who filed the civil liability lawsuit on behalf of Dr. Sezen Altug, a physician and widow of dead spectator Craig Salerno, and their two children, ages 6 and 8. "But it seems to me the formula that they created made an accident inevitable."

It's such BS legal shotgun shooting, such a high number for only one person's loss, and that lawyer is naming everyone who had their hand or name ever on that plane as well as the organizers of the event.  Talk about smurfy.

Well, we knew it was coming

Agreed, it was inevitable.    

[RTHolmes]

It's such BS legal shotgun shooting, such a high number for only one person's loss, and that lawyer is naming everyone who had their hand or name ever on that plane as well as the organizers of the event.  Talk about smurfy.

really. and surely, assuming the plane/pilot complied with the event's requirements, they should only be able to sue the event organisers?

[eagl]

That's what liability insurance is for.  One can only hope that the judge is smart enough to pull in every single person affected by the accident, and split the liability insurance cap evenly among them, and be done with it.

As for the victim's family suing the pilot's family...  That's just stupid.  I hope the family's lawyers can countersue to recover legal fees.  I imagine I'd be pretty torqued if my Dad's vette threw a tire and he killed someone in a crash, and then that someone's family sued me.  I'm pretty sure that if I suffered a single unrecoverable financial loss defending myself, I would spend considerable time and effort ensuring that whoever sued me suffered at least an equal financial loss of some sort.

[Shuffler]

Everybody wants to jump on the money wagon.

No one made the person go to the race.

[Babalonian]

Everybody wants to jump on the money wagon.

No one made the person go to the race.

And then some, the whole thing is really off-keel if you read the story, this is the first one yet it's already been clearly made that he was an aviation racing enthusiast, supporter, air show volunteer... and, the cherry - RACING PILOT HIMSELF....  *insert gufawed smiley*.

[DaCoon]

And then some, the whole thing is really off-keel if you read the story, this is the first one yet it's already been clearly made that he was an aviation racing enthusiast, supporter, air show volunteer... and, the cherry - RACING PILOT HIMSELF....  *insert gufawed smiley*.

I totally agree. Being that close to the sport he knew the risk before he walked out his front door to go.

[B-17]

I didn't know that bit, about him loving air racing. Was he actually ever a pilot?

Just a quick nickel's worth of thought, but isn't there something wrong with the guy's FAMILY being sued? They didn't control who went/didnt go. They weren't behind the yoke at the time, and chances are that they couldn't have stopped the crash, even if they were. What's worse is that 3 irreplaceable things have been lost-- 2 lives, and a vintage warbird. So, all 3 parties lose equally in this, but 1 of them gets out without losing money ON TOP of the death... They couldn't control his death, and are not having to pay. On the other hand, something happened that made this (supposedly highly-skilled) pilot lose control of the plane, lose his life, which nobody could ever have controlled, but his FAMILY, who may not have even been present at the race, is having to pay some huge fee to "compensate" for the death of someone else's loved one? I'm so confused.

[B-17]

I mean, I get that they are deeply grieved by it, but really? So is the Pilot's family. I seriously, SERIOUSLY doubt they. Would want to be sued after a family member's death...

[bozon]

That's what liability insurance is for.  

On a personal level, yes. Globally, it just means more money to the insurance companies due to covering law suits that should never have passed. It sounds like the insurance companies will pay more, but in practice this is already factored into the insurance premium, so lots of stupid law suits is in the best interest of lawyers and insurance companies. Judges usually were lawyers before, so this system looks very natural to them and they will not put a stop to it by preventing the cases from going to court.

[33Vortex]

He went from what looks like a slight turn coming out on the stretch at what 3Gs maybe? To somewhere around 10 (?) ... rolled over to ease the loading to try and regain control. But really, after a instant buildup of G forces being completely unprepared for it, what are your chances?

[mbailey]

I didn't know that bit, about him loving air racing. Was he actually ever a pilot?

Just a quick nickel's worth of thought, but isn't there something wrong with the guy's FAMILY being sued? 

The attorney is going after the family because they are now in control of all the monies, and businesses that were owned by Jimmy Leeward. Im assuming that he was quite a wealthy man, and since he is not able to be named in the suit, they are going after the people in control of his money.

[rogwar]

The attorney is going after the family because they are now in control of all the monies, and businesses that were owned by Jimmy Leeward. Im assuming that he was quite a wealthy man, and since he is not able to be named in the suit, they are going after the people in control of his money.

The attorney is going after his "estate".

Not saying it's right but the injured and families of the dead probably can make a legitimate case.

[cpxxx]

Clearly it's quite a cynical attempt to extract money, not least on the part of the lawyer. But I would imagine everyone involved was insured appropriately and if they had any sense have organised their affairs in order to distance themselves from any court case. It's an absolute neccessity in these days of ambulance chasing lawyers and greedy families of victims.

The operation I work for has a complicated arrangement to ensure that any accident won't close it down. Effectively they have no assets making any lawsuit complicated.

Ironically a good lawyer, (surely an oxymoron ) will sort it out for you!