Regarding discussing money at a time like that, lawyers involved in the litigation of aviation accidents are restricted from contacting the surviving members of a family for a minimum of thirty days. In most cases it is the survivors that contact the lawyers and not the other way around.
However in my posting I was alluding to what could happen to a mechanic if it were proven that he made a mistake. I went through this subject on another forum. In that case, I described the law suit revolving around the loss of a commercial CH-47 in I believe Scotland several years ago. They traced the transmission lock up to a redesign of a retaining mechanism in the gear box. The design was faulty and not only was Boeing helicopters sued but the chief of the transmission design group along with several designers were found at fault. These guys didn't have deep pockets but it makes the airframe manufacturers more aware of their responsibilities to the flying public. They can just as easily go after a lowly mechanic and he may be held criminally responsible. Not only that, he can be fined by the FAA and lose his A&P ticket.
Don't think because you might work for a non American airline that you are safe from the reaches of the American law system. There are a lot of ways that a crash or accident of a non American air line can be litigated in the United States. Much of the major life cycle items on European built aircraft comes from the States so the the law applies, if the Aircraft was built in the States the law also applies and strange as it might seem many European and UK lawyers seek out law partners in the United States and have them bring the case to trial. The reason for this is that the jury awards are much higher in the States than in the UK or Europe.
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The Cat
[This message has been edited by Lu Zuckerman (edited 31 October 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Lu Zuckerman (edited 31 October 2000).]