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Sunday, October 02, 2005
Kin of flight 541 victims win case vs plane suppliers
RELATIVES of the victims of Air Philippines Flight 541 that crashed in April 2000 scored another victory in their case against American companies AAR and Fleet after the Illinois Supreme Court denied the defendants' request to appeal an earlier decision to have the case tried in Chicago.
AAR and Fleet are the suppliers of ill-fated plane to Air Philippines.
The Circuit Court of Cook County, where the case was filed by Chicago-based Nolan Law Group on behalf of the victims' families, earlier ruled against the defendants' argument that the case should be tried in the Philippines. This decision was later affirmed by the Appeals Court.
Nolan Law Group Director of Litigation Support Thomas J. Ellis said that while this does not mean that the case is over, it certainly increases the value of the claims dramatically.
"This victory will allow the families to have a better chance at just compensation for their loss," Ellis said.
"With the possibility now of a full blown trial, AAR and Fleet who leased the sub-standard planes should be made to understand that when they did business with Air Philippines what they received was good Philippine money. They should have considered their corporate responsibility informing their clients of the true state of the machines or had at least provided their client an expert examining the plane's true worth," Ellis added.
The Air Philippines crash was the worst in the Philippine aviation history.
All 131 passengers and crew of Air Philippines Boeing 737-200 plane perished when it crashed on a coconut plantation in the Island Garden City of Samal as it was about to land at the Davao International Airport on April 19, 2000.
North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel F. Piñol, whose sister in law, a niece and nephew perished in the crash, led the victims' families in acquiring the services of the Nolan Law Group in filing the case which is considered a landmark as it is the supplier of the airplane rather than the airline that is being sued.
It will take a few weeks to get a response from Air Philippines' insurance company as they have to report to the insurance underwriters in London and obtain instructions regarding settlement discussions. (BOT)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (October 2, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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