Some people just never cease to amaze me (USAirways crash)
 

Is $5,000 for US Airways Fliers Enough?By Gary Stoller, USA Today

Many US Airways passengers who endured a crash landing in the Hudson River 12 days ago say they appreciate the $5,000 that the airline has offered — but some say it's not enough.
Joe Hart, a salesman from Charlotte who suffered a bloody nose and bruises, says he "would like to be made whole for the incident."

It's too soon after the accident to determine what emotional distress he has suffered, he says.
He's one of 150 passengers who were dramatically rescued Jan. 15, when the Charlotte-bound Airbus A320 jet safely ditched into the frigid river off Midtown Manhattan. A pilot on the plane told air-traffic controllers that birds struck the plane before both engines failed after takeoff from New York's LaGuardia Airport.
After the crash, US Airways sent passengers a letter of apology, a $5,000 check to assist "with immediate needs" and reimbursement for the ticket.
Exactly how much compensation is appropriate is a question after crashes.
The National Air Disaster Alliance & Foundation, a safety advocacy group, says $5,000 is not enough.
River Landing ProbedPatrick Andrade, Reuters13 photos The left engine of US Airways Flight 1549 is hauled out of New York's Hudson River on Friday. The pilot ditched the jet into the icy river on Jan. 15 after both engines failed. All 155 people on board were rescued.(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)

"We're grateful everyone survived, and the captain on the plane was so marvelous," says Gail Dunham, the group's executive director. "But passengers lost luggage, briefcases, cellphones, BlackBerrys and business documents, and went through a terrific ordeal."
Like many, Hart says he left a lot of items behind and doesn't know which ones may be lost.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates aviation accidents, wants to examine baggage and belongings, and determine how much they weighed on the plane, says spokesman Peter Knudson.
It could take "weeks or months" before they are returned to passengers, he says.
Hart and another passenger, Dave Sanderson, say they each left more than $5,000 worth of items on the plane.
A sales manager in Charlotte, says US Airways' letter and checks were "a nice gesture," and the airline's personnel "have treated me like gold since the incident."
US Airways Vice President Jim Olson says that an insurance claims specialist is contacting passengers and that they'll be reimbursed for expenses or losses above $5,000.
The airline wants to ensure no passenger is "losing money for the inconvenience or anything lost during the accident," he says.
Under Department of Transportation regulations, airlines are liable for up to $3,300 per passenger for checked bags that are lost or damaged on a domestic flight. Most airlines disclaim liability for carry-on bags unless a crewmember stowed the bag, says Bill Mosley, a department spokesman.
In addition to recovering losses, Hart says he's concerned about having trouble flying. He's flown on six planes since the accident, and each flight has gotten "progressively more difficult."
He says he was tense, sweated and "felt every bit of turbulence" on a Los Angeles-to-Philadelphia flight last week, though it wasn't that turbulent a flight.
Hart says he has talked to a lawyer in North Carolina but hasn't decided whether to take any legal action.
"I want to see how things play out with US Airways," he says. "I'm hopeful US Airways understands the significance of the incident."
Kreindler & Kreindler, a New York law firm that has represented plaintiffs in crashes, says it has been contacted by several passengers on the US Airways flight.
The firm's lawyers are determining what injuries and emotional distress passengers may have suffered, and what parties might be liable under New York state law, says Noah Kushlefsky, a partner in the firm.
In many aviation accidents, survivors have claimed post-traumatic stress disorder. To recover damages, plaintiffs have to prove that injury or distress was caused by negligence, or the jet or its engines not performing as they should, Kushlefsky says. New York law requires a lawsuit to be filed within three years of an incident, he says.
Sanderson, a father of four, says he's thankful he could celebrate his 48th birthday on Friday and has no reason to talk to an attorney.
"US Air has been doing the right thing," he says. "Everyone is acting in a responsible way."
Fred Berretta, who suffered a small cut on his head during the crash landing, says US Airways representatives have called frequently and treated him very well. He says that a few personal mementos from his father were left behind but that the money sent by US Airways covers the value of his belongings.
Berretta, who works for a financial services company, was flown home to Charlotte after the crash on his company's jet.
"I'm a private pilot, and I'm sure I'll be flying again," he says. "But it might be a little while before I fly for pleasure again."
Amber Wells of Charlotte says she's so thankful to have survived and to be with her 9-month-old daughter, Rayley, that she hasn't had time to think about her belongings.
She says she lost $2,000 of nursing equipment and a laptop computer, as well as a checked bag and a carry-on bag.
"Everything that's gone can be replaced," says Wells, 34, a senior manager for NASCAR. "My life cannot be replaced."

I agree that many should get more than 5K, but as LLC stated it was to reimburse the immediate expenses.
I am sure that they and their insurers expect lawsuits. It is the American thing to do.

You survived a plane crash and are ALIVE! What else do you want??????? Unbelievable.

I wouldn't have even expected $5000....I'd be grateful to the Lord that I have my life and I could see my child again.

Money for my physical and mental anguish. Just watch.

Exactly. We all know those blood sucking ambulance chasers couldn't keep their slimy tentacles off this one. :mad::mad:It was only a matter of time before the mass phone calls and emails went out to the pax of UsAir 1549.:mad:

"$5000 dollars? You've suffered unbelievable anguish and stress. You deserve so much more then that. Let my firm represent you. We'll get you what you deserve." Slimeballs.

They went out that night. I am really surprised that no one has filed yet!

If anything these people should be enjoying life more now that they know how fragile it can be.

Exactly! We can thank those personal compensation attorneys.

When you go in for surgery, the DR has you sign a form. Why can't the airlines come up with something similar, Fly at your own risk. You want to fly, sign here! Otherwise Drive. Negligence is a different story, but this is getting out of hand. Even the CAL pax suck, no one seems to be just satisfied they just survived a PLANE CRASH..Hello?!?

They want a couple of million dollars per. And here's what I like "its not about the money, its about getting answers", they always say that.....I've seen this movie many times

I was 110% sure, without a shadow of a doubt the pasengers were going to sue US Airways, that $5000 wasn't going to do anything. I just knew it.

If you don't want to risk losing these precious items or your safety don't fly. No one held a gun to these passengers head to buy the ticket and get on the airplane.

To hell with these people. Congrats Sully, you saved the lives of 155 pieces of trash.

Now don't go calling those flight attendants trash.

150 passengers + 1 pilot + 1 other guy + 3 Flight Attendants = 155 lives

Gee, I guess I've been wrong all these years expecting that the purchase of a ticket entitles being safely transported to my destination with all of my "precious items." And I didn't realize that by getting on an airplane without the motivation of a gun to my head I waive the right to that expectation. It's also nice to know that flight crews hold their customers (i.e. the folks that provide the money that pays their salaries) in such high regard.

What Captain Sully and the rest of the crew accomplished was incredible. It is a tribute to experience and training. From what I have heard and seen in the news I don't see any fault on US Air's part. And while I don't agree with the inevitable slew of lawsuits by sleazeball lawyers for "pain and suffering" I don't think it is unreasonable for the passengers to expect reimbursement for lost items and incidental expenses. It will probably be money well spent if it saves US Air from the bad publicity when the press reports that the airline "ripped off its passengers that escaped death with only the shirts on their backs."

USAirways has given them $5,000 each. How is that leaving them with just the shirts on their backs? I would think the $5,000 would be more than enough to pay for the passengers belongings on the plane and to put them in a comfortable hotel until they want to attempt the flight again. This is a very reasonable response to the accident.

And the passengers aren't the only ones out their belongings. USAirways is now out a very expensive airplane (though the insurance company will likely pay for that).

It entitles you to safe transport, unless something unbelievable happens (dual engine flame-out due to bird strikes). At that point, be thankful you're alive. If any part of this crash has been negligence, or unsafe operations that the airline could have prevented, then fire away with lawsuits.

I do hold passengers in a high regard, until they give me a reason not to. These pax give a great reason to call them trash.

Correction to above: 150 pieces of trash.

so a FO is an Other guy not even a pilot, Oouch

I assume that the comment was made with a certain amount of sarcasm.

I'm a regular PAX, and I swore I'd never post on this website again, but this just makes my blood boil! I'd be grateful that I was even alive to get my $5,000, and I'd spit on the shoes of any attorney who tried to convince me that I needed more money! Unbelievable! I'm not rich by any means, but litigation in this instance is wrong. :mad:

Did you really read the article?
 

Please read the article carefully before you condemn all of the passengers on that flight as to their intentions regarding legal action.

The original posters title to this thread, in my opinion, does not jibe with the statements made by the MAJORITY of the small group of passengers referenced in the article. The majority of the (few) passengers referenced in the article seem to be agreeing with the idea that they are "grateful to be alive", and are not considering the idea of legal action towards any financial reward beyond the $5,000 given by the airline involved, or possibly further monetary compensation for medical expenses and property losses.

Any talk in the article about further legal action is purely speculative.
Don't make rash statements about the passengers who went through this incident and their intentions, and most importantly, READ THE ARTICLE!

I think if you do, and stop jumping to conclusions based on a misleading thread title and a few over-the-top responses, you will be pleasantly surprised.

You know, part of what makes this country great is our right and freedom to express opinions. I am glad so many of you here are using that right and freedom.

Another part is our access to a legal process for the redress of grievance. Personally I don't think the passengers of this flight have grounds for much compensation. BUT, there is a process available to them if THEY believe they are entitled to something from someone. In the end the system, as we the people have set it up, will decide what they will get.

I don't know about you, but I like the idea of such a system being in place in the event that I feel I have been wronged. I am certain I would avail myself of such a system even if anonymous posters on a forum, who are not even in aware of all the facts, were putting me down.

Now, as I said, from what I know of it I don't think they're entitled to much. BUT, I acknowlege their right to legal recourse if THEY think something different. I vote we tone down the rhetoric and name calling or start rethinking some of our fundamental rights and freedoms.

i have heard of the stages of grieving and I know that anger is one of them..but that pertains to loss of life.

this is just one of those simple stages of living.

wake up, get pi$$ed ,stay pi$$ed, drink heavily, beat somebody, pass out and repeat.

if the media hadn't made sully king, (not a knock on him by any measure) then passengers would not have equated the dollars with the brevity of the situation.

I think Canada should be sued for sending their damn birds down here. How reckless can they be? These are big, huge birds and they just have them flying around in huge flocks near large population centers and airports. It is reckless and irresponsible, and the Canadians need to be held accountable.

Thanks SandyCo!

Envy will be part of the equation. The law is clear that without a physical injury, there can be no claim for "fear." There are ways around that rule and I'm sure New York (or did it fall on the NJ side of the river?) attorneys are being very creative in the way that they craft their advice to their clients. "Well, you were injured, but if you start a physical manifestation, like incontinence as a result of stress, maybe you could be a millionaire ... maybe your law firm could be Billionaires if we get enough of you together."

Then you get into the issue of envy. Do you want to be the person who says, "oh my phone was a cheapie and I had no luggage, here's your $5,000 back, I did not need it."

Truth is, several of my neighbors went into foreclosure and had their debt written down by around $100,000 each. On the other hand I scrimped and paid my house off a couple years ago when I was making good money. Now I'm feeling a little screwed because everyone else got "free money."

If greed is not compelling, envy is. Lawyers know it. That's how they manipulate the sheeple.

One laptop could easily cost $2,000 to $3,000 to replace. Throw in a nice business suit for two for the business traveler, plus a few nights in a hotel plus a rental car and they easily could need $5,000 or a little more to cover expenses. I think that is a fair immediate amount and then the airline will work with people that lost more. However, expecting anything more than direct compensation of lost items is unfounded and ridiculous. Suing is despicable.

This bring up an interetsing question? How much insurance do airlines carry per flight? Even a $10 surcharge per round trip ticket would get United alone about $19 million a year (based on average load of 100 pax). Not a bad legal fund.

Was giving the victims 5k and a letter of apology the right thing to do? Yes. However, Airways just opened up the floodgates by admitting on a very small scale, some responsibility and perhaps guilt. Now when they go into court over these disputes, the question of whether compensation to the victims is US Airways responsibility has been already answered. I don't think the airline should dole out millions to each victim, but I sure could imagine a judge thinking that. The moral thing to do was to give these passengers some compensation. The legal savvy thing would be to wait...

Just two cents from someone with no legal expertise, but likes to watch Law & Order :)

You survive a bird strike, a ditching into icy waters, and a water rescue, plus you get $5000??? Just shows how greedy and ungrateful people really are...:confused:

In a legal system where a person can bring a suit againts their dry cleaners for millions for a pair of pants and even after winning the case they still lost so much money in legal fees that they had to sell 40% of their business assets to pay for legal fees. In a legal system as screwed as ours is It would be naive to think that no law suits would come out of this, I agree that the payment of the 5K was a mistake since this will be viewed in a court case as damage control rather than good will on behalf of the company

The $5,000. per passenger is provided by the insurance policy covering US Airways. The $5,000. is meant to be a gesture of good will. In a perfect world and if no passengers were seriously injured $5,000. would cover most people for lost belongings and a hotel stay. Unfortunately wer'e talking the USA home of the law suit.

I like McDonald's Coffee HOT!
 

This thread is rife with speculation, and emotionally driven responses.
Some of the comments are despicable.
If I had a relative or friend on this flight described as "a piece of trash" like someone here did, well...
The original article does not support a widespread condemnation of the passengers involved in this incident.

The American legal and justice system has some problems, but it's better than the alternatives provided by some other countries by far.

You must have seen the news that week. According to the media, the passengers, the witnesses, the Geese, the Mayor of NYC, and the Governor of NY state, "the pilot" was the hero and the other guy remains mostly nameless.

I'm just doing as 84% of the American people do and quote the media line as fact.

This thread has gone on long enough with rampant speculation based on very little concrete information. As a lawyer, I know that there are bad lawyers out there, but it is offensive to paint the entire profession as greedy and unethical. It would be akin to someone saying that all pilots are wife beaters based on that Delta pilot who was arrested, or that all pilots are pedophiles because of that Mesaba pilot in Houston.

There is no question this country is most litigious. That's the system we have now. If you don't like it, do something to change it, instead of spewing idiocy on the internet. APC is here to provide a venue for all of us to help each other. People adding their biased and uninformed opinions don't really do much except fuel more ignorant misconceptions.

Thread closed.