Summary Judgment Dismissals for Accidents
Represented an aircraft manufacturer in claims arising from several U.S. and foreign accidents, including Comair flight 5191 in Lexington, Kentucky and the crash of a commuter aircraft in Queensland, Australia. All claims against the manufacturer relating to those accidents were dismissed on summary judgment.
Case Study: A heli-ski operator and pilot filed suit in British Columbia against the engine manufacturer, claiming a defect in the fuel control unit caused the helicopter to lose rotor speed and crash in a remote mountain valley.
Defended a satellite manufacturer in international arbitrations in Paris and Toronto. The Paris arbitration resulted in an award for the client after a full evidentiary hearing. The adverse party in the Toronto arbitration abandoned its claims for a walk-away settlement before trial.
Case Study: Litigation involving military accidents is complex because many of the accidents occur during operations in war zones and involve sensitive aircraft systems and strict export controls. These cases involve unique defenses such as the government contractor defense, political question doctrine, combatant activities and state secrets privilege. They present unusual challenges, such as obtaining investigation information from the military and evidence from inhospitable places.
Defend Ejection Seat Maker
Represent a manufacturer of ejection seats in claims arising out of military accidents in the United States and abroad.
Commercial Aircraft Manufacturer
Represent an aircraft manufacturer in commercial aircraft accidents around the world, including Asiana flight 214 (San Francisco), Flash Air flight 604 (Red Sea), Helios flight 522 (Greece), SilkAir flight 185 (Indonesia), Garuda flight 299 (Indonesia) and AdamAir flight 5503 (Indonesia).
Aviation Manufacturer Defense
Defend a manufacturer of general aviation engines and related systems in litigation in the United States and abroad.
Arbitration Victory for Helicopter Engine Maker
Defended a manufacturer of helicopter engines in an international arbitration in Montreal. After a two-week trial, the arbitrator ruled for the manufacturer on the helicopter operator’s product defect claims and awarded the manufacturer all fees and costs, as well as damages on the engine loss claims against the operator.