Hmmm. Reference to CBAs leads to subject area of federal (RLA) labor law, and sequentially then to federal law pre-emption of state law tort claims in some cases.....this isn't to suggest that DAL could or should try to resist settlement payouts, but how much, to whom, and after what predicate evidence has been shown could be impacted by whether the airline lawyers think pre-emption is a viable position. Safe operation of the flight in accord with FARs ....well, not even the forum can lead me to do legal research for gratis (usually).
Or maybe I've just been discouraged by not finding the meaning of 20,000 FAAs.