April 1, 2002
Document: “The Effect of Tort Litigation on the Airline Industry”
By David Rapoport
Originally a part of an address given on February 8, 2002, by Mr. Rapoport at the DePaul Business Law Journal Symposium entitled Terrorism, Security and Competition: The Future of the Airline Industry, this article describes the interplay between traditional tort litigation and the special role it plays in the arena of air travel. Mr. Rapoport addresses the dual objective of tort litigation — compensation for injury and deterrence of bad conduct — and offers particular focus on the availability of compensation for persons injured by the airlines. Through dialogue of different theories of recovery as well as the recurring theme of the September 11th attacks, Mr. Rapoport offers an insightful take on the statutory limits on tort damages and the implications those limits have on victims of airline negligence.
Published in the DePaul Business Law Journal, Spring 2002 edition.