Press Clipping - Family files suit after plane crash (Quantum Leap)

[tonyhays 86]

Why yes, I am indeed the same guy.

The BOD was misinformed when they told you I had 100-200 jumps...it was actually closer to 500(which i know is still next to nothing).

Yes, I was suspended from the USPA for a year, but not from jumping. If a DZ is not a group member, then there is no reason I can't jump my ass off for a year shooting video.

As for aquiring so many jumps so quickly..it's actually pretty easy. Once I was accepted back into the USPA, I got my coach and tandem rating and became a full time skydiver. It's not hard to rack up the jump numbers when you jump seven days a week!!!

If you want to talk about specifics...feel free to pm me!

“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

[cpoxon 0]

From http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=AP&Date=20060912&ID=6016013

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3rd Lawsuit Filed in Skydiving Crash

All Associated Press NewsST. LOUIS (AP) - A third lawsuit was filed Tuesday in an eastern Missouri skydiving plane crash that killed six people, this one by the mother of a former member of Claire McCaskill's U.S. Senate campaign staff.

Melissa Berridge, 38, was among those killed July 29 soon after takeoff from the airport at Sullivan, about 70 miles southwest of St. Louis. Berridge, of St. Louis, was a campaign compliance director for McCaskill, the Democratic challenger to incumbent Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo., in the November election.


Berridge's mother, Barbara Berridge, is represented by Kansas City attorney Gary Robb, who earlier filed separate suits on behalf of the parents of two other crash victims, Robert Cook, a 22-year-old University of Missouri-Rolla student, and Victoria Delacroix, 22 of Dittmer.

All three suits name engine-maker United Technologies Corp. as well as Quantum Leap Skydiving Center of Sullivan, and seek unspecified damages.

"Each of these families has an objective to understand what went wrong and to prevent this from happening again," Robb said. "They believe that if we can correct the problem and prevent future crashes their children would not have died in vain."

Last month, Robb made public a photograph taken just before the crash that appears to show flames and smoke near the propeller on the right wing. He said the picture, taken by Delacroix's friend from the ground, supports his claim of engine power loss and failure.

The National Transportation Safety Board is examining the photo, the plane's engine and propellers and witness reports, according to a preliminary report released last month. A final report isn't expected until early next year.

United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is the parent company of Pratt & Whitney, the maker of the PT6A turboprop engines on the DeHavilland DHC-6 that crashed. The company has refused to discuss any pending litigation and did not return a message left by The Associated Press Tuesday.

The estate of pilot and Quantum Leap co-owner Scott Cowan, 42, who died in the crash, and Sullivan Regional Airport are also named in the suit, though Robb said if the engine is found to be at fault, the pilot's estate would be cleared.

Also killed in the crash were Robert Walsh, 44, of Webster Groves, and David Paternoster, 35, of Claycomo.

Two other skydivers -- Steve Parrella, 46, of St. Louis, and Kimberly Ellen Dear, 21, of Dittmer -- survived.

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[cpoxon 0]

From http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/10/10/lawsuit_filed_by_paralyzed_man_in_skydiving_plane_crash/

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Lawsuit filed by paralyzed man in skydiving plane crash
October 10, 2006

ST. LOUIS --A fourth lawsuit against a Connecticut-based engine-maker was filed Tuesday by a paralyzed survivor of a skydiving plane crash that killed six people in eastern Missouri.

Steve Parrella, 46, of St. Louis, was one of only two survivors of the July 29 crash soon after takeoff from the airport at Sullivan, about 70 miles southwest of St. Louis.

The crash rendered Parrella paraplegic and he is still hospitalized with injuries.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and claims engine failure caused the crash. It names engine-maker Pratt & Whitney; Quantum Leap Skydiving Center of Sullivan; and pilot and Quantum Leap co-owner Scott Cowan; among others, as defendants. The companies have refused to discuss any pending litigation.

The lawsuit is the fourth filed by Kansas City attorney Gary Robb, who represents the parents of three other crash victims, including; Robert Cook, a 22-year-old University of Missouri-Rolla student; Victoria Delacroix, 22, of Dittmer, and Melissa Berridge, a 38-year-old campaign compliance director for Claire McCaskill's Senate campaign.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, but a final report isn't expected until early next year.

Also killed in the crash were Robert Walsh, 44, of Webster Groves; Cowan, 42; and David Paternoster, 35, of Claycomo.

Kimberly Ellen Dear, 21, of Dittmer, also survived the crash.

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[bch7773 0]

so it appears a one of the skydivers has filed suit against not only the engine maker but the DZ, DZO, and the dead pilot?

MB 3528, RB 1182

[wmw999 2,121]

If you don't sue everyone, you leave it open for the ones you are suing to point the finger at the ones you aren't as the guilty parties. Not to mention that if he's joining the lawsuit, that's who the lawsuit is already targeting.

It's an ugly picture no matter what.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[AndyMan 7]

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so it appears a one of the skydivers has filed suit against not only the engine maker but the DZ, DZO, and the dead pilot?

Health Insurance companies have the right to sue on behalf of a client to recover the medical bills paid by the insurance company. In cases of accidents caused by another, leading to a very expensive recovery, this is the norm rather than the exception.

Just because the lawsuit is in the name of the skydiver doesn't mean the skydiver is the one doing the sueing.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[Andy9o8 0]

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so it appears a one of the skydivers has filed suit against not only the engine maker but the DZ, DZO, and the dead pilot?

Health Insurance companies have the right to sue on behalf of a client to recover the medical bills paid by the insurance company. In cases of accidents caused by another, leading to a very expensive recovery, this is the norm rather than the exception.

Just because the lawsuit is in the name of the skydiver doesn't mean the skydiver is the one doing the sueing.

_Am

You're referring to an insurance company's subrogation lawsuit. Yes, it's possible, but this soon after the accident, from my experience, I'm doubting it. The insurance company will have a lien on the proceeds in any event, to the extent of the benefits they've paid. That aside, the cost of this person's long-term care over his lifetime could be astronomical. Ditto the value of his long-term reduction in future income. Insurance will only cover a fraction of that.
I realize our collective wishful thinking is to hope that this jumper, our fellow skydiver, didn't file suit on his own, and that it was actually done by his insurance company, but at this point, without further solid information, my educated presumption is that this was probably not filed by the insurance company.