$7.1 Million Jury Verdict for Family of Comair Flight 5191 Airplane Crash Victim
December 7, 2009 - (Lexington, Kentucky) . Following a four day jury trial which took place at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky at Lexington, an eight member jury returned a verdict of $7.1 million in favor of the family of Mr. Bryan Keith Woodward, who was killed in the Comair airplane crash at Blue Grass Airport in Kentucky.
At the trial three of the aviation attorneys at Rapoport Law Offices, P.C. represented the family of Mr. Woodward, a 39 year old from Lafayette, Louisiana, who was a passenger on Delta Connection/ Comair Flight 5191 when the airplane crashed. In the early morning hours of August 27, 2006, the Comair regional jet attempted to take off on the wrong runway, one that was too short. The airplane ran off the end of the runway into the grass, hit a berm and after leaving the ground momentarily crashed through an airport perimeter gate then into a row of trees then slamming the ground plowing into more trees before coming to a rest in flames.
Mr. Woodward was returning home from a business trip to Kentucky. According to David E. Rapoport, lead counsel in the case and the lead trial attorney: "Mr. Woodward was an outstanding father and family man who was also hard working and uniquely talented. The airline and its expert witnesses insisted Mr. Woodward did not experience conscious pain and suffering. The jury disagreed with the airline."
Forty-seven passengers and two of the three crew members on board were all killed in the airplane crash. The copilot survived with severe injuries. Senior United States District Judge, Karl S. Forester ruled that the question of punitive damages will be decided by a different jury in a trial that will begin on February 1, 2011.
Rapoport Law Offices, P.C. is a personal injury law firm based in Chicago, Illinois. The personal injury attorneys at Rapoport Law Offices have achieved multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements for individuals with lawsuits arising from medical malpractice, product liability, semi truck and motor vehicle accidents, workplace injuries and construction accidents in Illinois and Wisconsin. Rapoport Law Offices’ premier aviation negligence lawyers represent victims of commercial and general aviation disasters nationwide.
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