What is happening to this country??

[ehasler]

www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/londonnews/articles/PA_LONCOURTSCrashLONDONJetCrash?source=

Thirteen people have won the go-ahead to claim damages over psychiatric injury they say they suffered when they witnessed a Korean Airlines cargo jet crash seconds after take-off from Stansted airport.

All four crew members died in the December 1999 tragedy when the Boeing 747, which was on its way to Milan, came down in a huge fireball on the edge of Hatfield Forest, near Great Hallingbury, Essex.

The test case action against Korean Air Lines Company Ltd, at London's High Court, was brought under the 1982 Civil Aviation Act. It hinged on whether the claimants could recover compensation for personal injuries consisting of psychiatric or mental injury, such as post traumatic stress disorder.

Where is this going to end? Will it get to the point where some numpty attempts to sue you if you accelerate a bit quickly and the shock of it traumatises them?

Surely if watching a 747 crash upsets you, then just turn away!

[swilly]

This news has totally shocked me, i'm gobsmacked.

Now, where's my lawyers number

[Podie]

Cr*p!

I witnessed this as well... and my car was damaged (slightly!).

I was coming home, started indicating at the 300 yard marker to come off at the slip road... as I looked in the rear view mirror I could see the plane coming down...!

Next think I now, there was a huge explosion... sparks all over the place, traffic lights went out, the lot. I phoned home and asked if there was anything on the news... nothing yet...! In fact the old girl took the piss! Half an hour later they were talking about it on the news!

My car got covered in little black specs which took WEEKS to get off the paint as well...

[pbrettle]

Let them get the money and then do them with a counterclaim for wasting public money etc. They are simply in it for the money. I live north of Stanstead and know what happened - it wasnt bad and certainly didnt do any damage to property etc. Take Lockerby, that was serious and hope that the people affected were provided with support, help and counciling. But just cos some plane dropped out of the sky into some fields - doesnt mean that you can get money for it.... What next? Saw a car crash so need to get some money from the Dept Transport for not preventing it?

Money grabbing barstewards.... bet the only reason why they are doing this is to get the money before the airport expansion gets the go ahead.

Cheers,

Paul

[rpguk]

Come on lets be fair, I'm not saying that anyone should be sued or anything but to say that seeing something like this isn't damaging is wrong I would not be surprised if these people suffered psychiatric damage.

I don't know if they recieved councelling or not but thats the least that should be given.

Its far from the most shocking court case I have heard about anyway.

[swilly]

I think the fact these 'people' are going to sue for damages is enough evidence in itself to suggest they were suffering psychiatric problems before the incident.

Bunch of grabbing wasters. All IMHO.

[atg]

The claim sould be limited to the financial lost incurred by these "victims".

If one of these people was a bagage handler and had nearly had his head taken off by one of the wings wizzing by, and he was now too shit scared to set foot on an airport ... well that would be understandable, and he'd have a legitimate claim. Perhaps the equivalent of his salary for the next five years?

However if we are talking about mental stress suffered by a plain spotter, then I suggest an award of 5p and no costs is reasonable, plus photos of said spotter on national newspapers with a caption reading "Do you know this man? He is a twat."

[granville]

Weary of bollocks.