As the Malaysian government this week releases the raw data used to show Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 crashed into the southern Indian Ocean, Kennedys aviation liability and insurance partner David Johnston is on standby to deal with any potential claims arising against the airline.
The Singapore-based partner has been retained for Malaysia Airlines’ insurance company, Allianz Insurance, with the family members of some of the crash victims having already filed a multi-million dollar law suit against Boeing and Malaysia Airlines in the US, reported by the Asian press and Yahoo news to be for a value of RM4.95bn (£914.25).
Chicago-based firm Ribbeck Law, led by of counsel Monica Kelly, is advising claimants from China and Indonesia on the proceedings, which follow a petition filed in Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois for discovery against the aircraft manufacturer and the airline.
According to an article re-published on Ribbeck’s website, the focus of the case will be on Boeing and a so far unproven accusation that the crash was caused by mechanical failure.
Of the 239 people on board MH370, 154 are understood to have been Chinese nationals. There were 49 Malaysian and seven Indonesian passengers.
Kennedys said that Johnston was unable to speak to press in relation to the case and instead said in a statement: ‘Kennedys’ aviation team have a long standing relationship with the airline and its insurers and were the designated lawyers on MAS’ insurance policy.’
Johnston has previously advised on the Korean Air MD-11 accident in Shanghai, the crash of Singapore Airlines SQ006 in Taipei, the Air China crash in Busan and Pakistan’s deadliest air accident of Airblue Flight 202 in 2010, which crashed on the outskirts of the capital with 152 passengers on board, leaving no survivors.
jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk
