Papillon ship down in Grand Canyon - $38 million settlement
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When you have that many people dead, and the sole survivor with injuries of that magnitude, lawsuits are inevitable, whatever the cause.
If any of you ever sees me in a line for a tourist helicopter ride, shoot me immediately, because I will certainly be completely out of my mind.
If any of you ever sees me in a line for a tourist helicopter ride, shoot me immediately, because I will certainly be completely out of my mind.
Just a numbered other
blender, I'm curious about your comment:
I thoroughly agree that the litigation culture has got out of all proportion, but if this lady's appalling injuries turn out to be due to the pilot's inappropriate flying, or some other neglect, then surely she has some right to redress, and income for her very difficult future.
don't know who's worse: "Chana Daskal" for suing the estate of a dead pilot with a 7 year old girl and a wife, to satisfy a need for revenge or greed
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Just reading the threads
condolancies to all at Papilon and the families involved.
its seems to be heading for a bad week in the helicopter world this week
Sincerly
Bravo 99 (AJB)
condolancies to all at Papilon and the families involved.
its seems to be heading for a bad week in the helicopter world this week
Sincerly
Bravo 99 (AJB)
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Las Vegas Review-Journal report
Helicopter crash settlement $38 million
Attorney for burn victim faults aircraft, not pilot.
Helicopter crash settlement $38 million
Attorney for burn victim faults aircraft, not pilot.
Horrendous crash injuries and $38 million won't make a dent on her physical and mental scars.
Don't suppose the manufacturers will do anything about relocating the fuel tank on an AS350, or for that matter any other belly tank on helicopters. Too costly - far outweighing law suit payouts, probably.
She must be a brave woman to carry on..................................
Don't suppose the manufacturers will do anything about relocating the fuel tank on an AS350, or for that matter any other belly tank on helicopters. Too costly - far outweighing law suit payouts, probably.
She must be a brave woman to carry on..................................
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Mighty,
The system in the US doesn't make much sense. The deepest pockets get attacked, "experts" can be hired to say the evidence proves the Easter Bunny did it, and the jury does not understand a thing, and votes for the lawyer with the best "aw shucks" attitude.
Any provable flaw in the aircraft is attacked as the cause, because there is hard evidence of that flaw, and the jury can believe it. In this case, I can imagine that some debris was in the servo, and that "caused" the aircraft to crash, and caused the manufacturer to pay the bucks.
The system in the US doesn't make much sense. The deepest pockets get attacked, "experts" can be hired to say the evidence proves the Easter Bunny did it, and the jury does not understand a thing, and votes for the lawyer with the best "aw shucks" attitude.
Any provable flaw in the aircraft is attacked as the cause, because there is hard evidence of that flaw, and the jury can believe it. In this case, I can imagine that some debris was in the servo, and that "caused" the aircraft to crash, and caused the manufacturer to pay the bucks.
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Not much money to receive for the price of losing your husband, legs, face...etc.....Kids have no father........
Besides...Eurocopter can well afford it through their own liability insurance. Crash worthy tanks me arse!!!!!
Besides...Eurocopter can well afford it through their own liability insurance. Crash worthy tanks me arse!!!!!
Gatvol
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Horrendous crash injuries and $38 million won't make a dent on her physical and mental scars.
Attorney for burn victim faults aircraft, not pilot.
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Helipolarbear
It won't be a question of Eurocopter affording it, but their underwriters affording it, when as you correctly say, liability insurance will pay out.
But ultimately it is we the consumers who will have to afford it. Today's liability payouts will determine Eurocopter's future insurance premiums and make no mistake, that will quite reasonably come straight back to the cost of the aircraft and parts we buy.
I'm not in any way saying the money is not deserved for this poor women, whose injuries are appalling. Of course that's another irony - chronic severe disability is far more expensive than death, hence the huge award here.
As Mightygem asks, the most valuable thing to come out of this would be to know what the actual problem was, or was alleged to be.
It won't be a question of Eurocopter affording it, but their underwriters affording it, when as you correctly say, liability insurance will pay out.
But ultimately it is we the consumers who will have to afford it. Today's liability payouts will determine Eurocopter's future insurance premiums and make no mistake, that will quite reasonably come straight back to the cost of the aircraft and parts we buy.
I'm not in any way saying the money is not deserved for this poor women, whose injuries are appalling. Of course that's another irony - chronic severe disability is far more expensive than death, hence the huge award here.
As Mightygem asks, the most valuable thing to come out of this would be to know what the actual problem was, or was alleged to be.
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Rotorspeed,
Another consideration is that the national certifying authority, in this case the Feds (FAA) should also accept a certain amount of liability and cost of the entire process, to include tax breaks to the manufacturer as an assist to speedily redesign, manufacturer and field the solution for the problem.
Have a Happy Christmas & Chanukah, Ya'll!
Another consideration is that the national certifying authority, in this case the Feds (FAA) should also accept a certain amount of liability and cost of the entire process, to include tax breaks to the manufacturer as an assist to speedily redesign, manufacturer and field the solution for the problem.
Have a Happy Christmas & Chanukah, Ya'll!
"So, what's this hydraulic failure that causes 350s to fall from the sky?"
What ever it was, it also made "...it all go quite...." just before hand!
What ever it was, it also made "...it all go quite...." just before hand!
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Re the sueing of the pilot. Was the man operating for his company, on behalf of his company and not simply on a frolic of his own?
Does the doctrine of vicarious liability not run in the US?
Interesting to hear. Thank you.
NC43
Does the doctrine of vicarious liability not run in the US?
Interesting to hear. Thank you.
NC43
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Thelma & Louise Descent??????
Snipped this from AIN's front page:
Sole Survivor of Helicopter Crash Gets $38 Million
Twenty-nine-year-old Chana Daskal, the sole survivor of an Aug. 10, 2001 Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters crash, will receive $38 million under a settlement. Besides losing her husband in the accident, Daskal suffered severe burns and had both legs amputated. Named defendants in the lawsuit were Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, American Eurocopter, Turbomeca, helicopter retailer Zuni and the estate of the pilot of the ill-fated Aerospatiale AS 350-B2. The NTSB determined the probable cause of the accident to be the pilot’s “decision to rapidly maneuver the helicopter at a high-density altitude near steeply sloping terrain resulting in a high rate of descent from which recovery was not possible.” Apparently, this maneuver was common practice by the operator. According to the Safety Board, several of the operator’s tour pilots, including the accident pilot, nicknamed this maneuver the Thelma and Louise descent.
Sole Survivor of Helicopter Crash Gets $38 Million
Twenty-nine-year-old Chana Daskal, the sole survivor of an Aug. 10, 2001 Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters crash, will receive $38 million under a settlement. Besides losing her husband in the accident, Daskal suffered severe burns and had both legs amputated. Named defendants in the lawsuit were Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, American Eurocopter, Turbomeca, helicopter retailer Zuni and the estate of the pilot of the ill-fated Aerospatiale AS 350-B2. The NTSB determined the probable cause of the accident to be the pilot’s “decision to rapidly maneuver the helicopter at a high-density altitude near steeply sloping terrain resulting in a high rate of descent from which recovery was not possible.” Apparently, this maneuver was common practice by the operator. According to the Safety Board, several of the operator’s tour pilots, including the accident pilot, nicknamed this maneuver the Thelma and Louise descent.
Not enough $$$ ...
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There's a video around somewhere that shows a guy in Africa doing this sort of thing - brushing tree tops over the cliff edge and heading almost vertically down the cliff face ... passengers squealing and hooting the whole way. 
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Not enough $$$ ...
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Yep, that's the one, except that link isn't up anymore. 
Looks like the problem might be my friendly(!) employer's firewall settings - enjoy ...
Yes it is - I've just played it.
Click on the link.
Heliport
Looks like the problem might be my friendly(!) employer's firewall settings - enjoy ...
Yes it is - I've just played it.
Click on the link.
Heliport
Last edited by wishtobflying; 25th Jan 2006 at 01:20.
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So... if her medical bills have already cost $11m and her future bills come to $23m - that leaves $4m - has the lawyer been paid already? Does she actually only get $4m? If so, perhaps she should have gone to trial...
