• 14
  • October
    2011

Unfortunately, after more than ten years, many lawsuits from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks are still pending. The last remaining cases, however, have been consolidated into four "master cases." And one of the master cases, a wrongful-death lawsuit against the airlines and airport operators, was recently settled and closed.

The victim in the remaining case, a professional hockey scout, was killed when a United Airlines airplane, in which he was a passenger, hit the World Trade Center. His family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in New York against United Airlines and its security contractor, Huntleigh USA, alleging that they were grossly negligent in their security operations that resulted in the victim's death.

Specifically, court documents maintain that the security screeners and their managers allegedly failed to respond appropriately to suspicious behavior by two of the eventual hijackers, who could not respond to security questions. The family also asserted that additional screening would have raised red flags over the hijackers and ultimately revealed that their carry-on bags contained knives and pepper spray. Had United Airlines and Huntleigh USA used proper security measures, they said, the victim's life and thousands of others would not have been lost.

The victim's twin brother told the Boston Globe that the family's lawsuit was about "wrongful death, gross negligence and a complete lack of appreciation for the value of human life."

Now that sworn testimony from more than 200 security screeners, their managers and security officials has been made public through the lawsuit, the brother said the family feels they have been able to give the victim-their beloved son and brother-a voice.

It remains to be seen what the outcome will be for the three remaining master cases to close-or how long they will take to close.

Source: http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2011/09/bavis-family-settles-lawsuit/45qZnS9RRpj0yTi7WJP3hO/index.html