Rotornut, your question may yet be answered as I believe that there are lawsuits pending on behalf of some of the passengers on the AT flight. You know, compensation for the mental stress and trauma of the experience etc. (and I am not suggesting that it was not a terrifying experience for many of those on board.)
I expect that there will be a case made that the technical causes of the incident not with standing, the outcome should have been at worst, an engine out diversion and landing. In fact is this point not raised in the report from the official investigation?
Perhaps we will see how a court looks on such a claim.