“...the settlement was fast, very fast, and that is an indicator that United paid out very close to what Dao was demanding.”
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maybe. But the airline also has retained legal help which they pay for whether they are engaged or not. Perhaps the passenger was made a counter offer (of this I am certain” and if not accepted was told it will go too court and drag it out for as long as possible. That could amount to years and years before the passenger gets his payday.
If passenger asked for 7.5-10 million and the company offered him 1.5 million immediately then the calculation must be made by the passenger to either take the fast 1.5 million (less atty fees) or else wait maybe 5 yrs or more and collect probably more but with much higher atty fees.
A bird in the hand...as they say.
The attorneys most likely took the case on a 50% contingency fee. They got the same as the Dao conartist and the law officers were the liable party, not United.
“But the airline also has retained legal help which they pay for whether they are engaged or not. Perhaps the passenger was made a counter offer (of this I am certain” and if not accepted was told it will go too court and drag it out for as long as possible. That could amount to years and years before the passenger gets his payday.”
So, if you were a legal counsel to United, you would advise that they take it to trial, a public trial?
A public trial that would be on TV and the jury as well as millions of people watching at home could watch all the video of Dao being beaten?
And then the jury could hear about from Dr. Dao and how it felt to be almost killed by police thugs that the airline called to the plane?
And all the other passengers on the plane who will say they now have nightmares and are afraid to fly and their children scream in horror at night?
Is that the trial you would have advised United to pursue?