N001764
Tuesday, January 15, 2002 3:44 PM
Collateral Offsets
It is a shame that the comments area has been "hijacked" by mass email
spammers seeking to advance political agendas (however worthy they may
be) instead of allowing for open discussion of the merits of the
program by those directly affected, namely families of victims like my
sister in law, who lost her husband. I trust by now you have heard from
practically every outlet that reducing awards by "collateral offset"
will be a certain deal-breaker for many families, as it uses the
benefits that people had earned in their own right, or paid for out of
their own pockets, as an excuse to deny compensatory damages for what I
expect any court of law or sensible jury would find to be inexcusable
lapses in security, preparation and judgment on the part of the many
organizations involved (the airlines, the airports, the security
companies, the WTC building management, etc.).
I am hoping that the great public outcry against these conditions will
be taken into account prior to the finalization of the settlement terms.
When many potential settlements are being reduced to almost zero due to
these conditions, many families will have no choice but to opt for
litigation, as painful and drawn out as it will certainly be for all
involved.
Individual Comment