Help me understand PLZ...US Airways landing on the Hudson.

**stroguy** · 06-13-2009, 11:01 AM

Just sitting here at work and read the Yahoo front page about the US Airways survivors looking for settlements from AIG. Now the airline paid each person $5K shortly after the incident. That should surely cover anything in your luggage or pockets with the exception of someone traveling with some over priced jewelry or the such. Kudos to US Airways.

But there are individuals that feel the airline and their insurer AIG should be paying for other ancillary payments, like mental health treatment copay or deductibles.

I need to understand the mindset of people that feel this company is financially responsible for the situation.

If I were on an airplane and someone came to me and said 'this plane is going to crash, what will you pay to walk away with no injuries, just some inconvenience.' 'What will you pay for your children to survive with no life threatening injuries.'

I think there is only one answer...........whatever it takes.

IMO these people hit the lottery, but now some of them want the brass ring also.

Am I just ignorant. Help me understand.

**FLEX** · 06-13-2009, 11:15 AM

Seems to me it's a disease of today's society: everyone tries to figure out a way to capitalize on anything and everything to get a buck. They just look at it as an opportunity,and figure the big insurance company has all kinds of money anyway.

Me personally, I'd be happy with the 5 grand. Although I'd probably never fly again. I hate flying as it is.

-=FLEX=-

**Centurion** · 06-13-2009, 11:30 AM

Socety's entitlement mindset. Someone hits YOU with their car while reading and talking on the cell phone AND eating breakfast/drinking coffee/lemon grass health drink and YOU should pay because YOU didn't get out of THEIR way. "We're all going to hell and I'm driving the bus." "Get in, sit down, shut up and hold on." Eff them and their entitlement. You're alive, be greatful. Jack@$$3$.

**OnTheRock'08** · 06-13-2009, 11:35 AM

Just what has put this country in the position we're in ..... GREED. I've said it for years, tried to teach it when I coached HS basketball .... " Two things that will destroy , greed and ignorance."

**done** · 06-13-2009, 11:43 AM

That attitude is all around us, even in this forum. It shows up in questionable warranty disputes, new car buying prices and insurance claims. Too many dorks think that if anyone makes a profit or if those dorks have to to pay for service then they are getting ripped off.

**PHROGG MAN** · 06-13-2009, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by stroguy

Just sitting here at work and read the Yahoo front page about the US Airways survivors looking for settlements from AIG. Now the airline paid each person $5K shortly after the incident. That should surely cover anything in your luggage or pockets with the exception of someone traveling with some over priced jewelry or the such. Kudos to US Airways.

But there are individuals that feel the airline and their insurer AIG should be paying for other ancillary payments, like mental health treatment copay or deductibles.

I need to understand the mindset of people that feel this company is financially responsible for the situation.

If I were on an airplane and someone came to me and said 'this plane is going to crash, what will you pay to walk away with no injuries, just some inconvenience.' 'What will you pay for your children to survive with no life threatening injuries.'

I think there is only one answer...........whatever it takes.

IMO these people hit the lottery, but now some of them want the brass ring also.

Am I just ignorant. Help me understand.

I'm a former marine helicopter door gunner/crewchief. I avg 1 close mishap every 2 months of my 4 years and over 800 hrs flying. I have had every air emergency from a fire in flight to engines and trnsmissions going to crap. Some people have no balls and feel they r owed plenty of money for being put through the wringer by life. I would tell them to suck it up and if they think they had it tough well they can read my record and cry. And yes I still fly in airplanes. I am the luckiest man ever in am opinion I never lost a passsenger or crewman and that includes combat operations. But I have lost patients for lack of a better word so they ( the u.s. Airways survivors) can go pack sand

**Electrofreak** · 06-13-2009, 01:38 PM

Yeah, I'd be thanking my lucky stars I survived, and 5 grand would just be icing.

Seriously, how often does a plane experience total engine failure and have all of its passengers survive with their lives?

**joeb1** · 06-13-2009, 02:51 PM

Look at the TV commercials for lawyers.

Are you alive, have you ever lived, do you know someone who has lived? You may be entitled to a large settlement. Call us. We'll file a claim so you can be compensated fairly for the heartbreak of living or having known someone, anyone, who has lived or thought of living or may have lived in a past life. Call us at 1-800-LETS SUE.

**hemicanucksfan** · 06-14-2009, 12:01 AM

wow. all those people who want more should be put back into the hudson. just unbelievable. sure glad we don't see many lawsuits like that up in canada.

**ChargerChick** · 06-14-2009, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by Electrofreak

Yeah, I'd be thanking my lucky stars I survived, and 5 grand would just be icing.

Seriously, how often does a plane experience total engine failure and have all of its passengers survive with their lives?

Amen to that.

**Hemirection** · 06-14-2009, 12:48 AM

Look at all the court shows on tv in the US. Family taking family to court over an unpaid $100 cell phone bill, for an example. What a shame. It's out of control. Frivoulous lawsuits are becoming just as american as apple pie. The greed starts at the lawyer level.. this is also known as the pond scum level. Then it evolves to the inbred level... I need not go on.

**hawkxp** · 06-14-2009, 05:28 AM

while there are some/many who are just trying to make an extra buck... Ill give you my two bits.. having survived my own in-air engine failure and surviving... in my own plane while I was the pilot...

The nightmares are very real... going through therapy is warrented... To the marine gunner.. very different situation...Its not that they have to grow a biggger pair.. when you are trained and are in control of the plane/ or in charge of the group of men, you dont feel out of control, which is the hardest partt accept for most people... I never really needed therapy for my plane crash, I know some of my passengers did..

**stroguy** · 06-14-2009, 07:29 AM

Oh I never denied that the mental torment of recovering from that event is not real. But the one case of the person trying to recoup their health insurance deductible? Come on, that is your health insurer and you, not USA and AIG, sorry.

Did your passengers come after you or your insurance for settlement? And what was the cause of your in flight emergency? Your case may have been a case of negligence and not a random flight through a flock of birds. If negligence applies I have no problem with a suitable lawsuit. Please do not think I am accusing you of negligence in your case.

Originally Posted by hawkxp

while there are some/many who are just trying to make an extra buck... Ill give you my two bits.. having survived my own in-air engine failure and surviving... in my own plane while I was the pilot...

The nightmares are very real... going through therapy is warrented...

**MegTheMog** · 06-15-2009, 05:00 AM

Those people on that plane went through a terrifying ordeal. You can bet that every one of them was thinking "Oh my god..this is it...this is where it ends"
Yes. They were very lucky indeed. They all survived. The pilots did what they had to do, and did it perfectly. Kudo's to them.
If something like this happened to me..I would be incredibly happy to be alive.
But I more than likely need some therapy.

Put yourself in the passengers position. A lot of people are weird about flying nowadays.
We have all seen horrific plane crash videos. We have all seen the heartbreaking images of the crash scenes...the wife of one of the victims talking to reporters...telling them how she had talked to him an hour beforehand and everything was fine....

Now imagine the thoughts you would have if it was *your plane* Your never going to see your family again. Your children will grow up not knowing you. How will they get along? Will they be ok financially? You will never see them graduate. Get married. Have grand-babies. What about your parents? Your friends? Your life. What would you give to wake up to find out it was all a dream?
It's not a damn dream because *your* plane is crashing.

So....to all of the people out there jumping on the "What a bunch of pussies...they should suck it up...throw em back in the hudson" bandwagon.....well....I think that just stinks. I am sure those people thank all sorts of gods every day that they didn't die on that plane.

Airlines carry insurance for a reason.
As far as I know....none of the passengers are asking for anything totally crazy. They want their waterlogged crap replaced and maybe some therapy. That doesn't seem out of hand to me at all.

5 Grand in this day and age really isn't a whole lot of money when you put in into perspective. And when it comes to replacing everything in your purse, carry on bags and suitcase...you may be spending more. Laptop, cell phone, ipod, wallet, car keys, house keys, medication...and thats just your carry-on crap.
Suitcases can contain all kinds of goodies. It depends on who you are and where you are going.

Just because folks want some compensation for the things they lost and the horror they they went through, does not make them bad people. It doesn't mean they aren't grateful to be alive.

And as far as I am concerned, AIG can suck it. They can't kick down some cash to these folks....but they can certainly be bailed out to the tune of 173 billion..and then turn around and try to give bonuses to certain employees equalling $165 million.
That is one honest, stand up company. I am amazed at the generosity they have shown towards mankind.

I think thats it. I have to go to bed, as work comes early.
Night night

**hawkxp** · 06-15-2009, 05:14 AM

Originally Posted by stroguy

Oh I never denied that the mental torment of recovering from that event is not real. But the one case of the person trying to recoup their health insurance deductible? Come on, that is your health insurer and you, not USA and AIG, sorry.

Did your passengers come after you or your insurance for settlement? And what was the cause of your in flight emergency? Your case may have been a case of negligence and not a random flight through a flock of birds. If negligence applies I have no problem with a suitable lawsuit. Please do not think I am accusing you of negligence in your case.

Nope.. they never came after me... their insurance covered it.. and the insurance never came after me either.. maybe it was becase the way it was filed.. I dont know...

That said, it would depend on the local laws (NY/NJ in this case since they landed in the middle

) but most states, have the notion of non-causal negligence WRT to flying.. Meaning, by simply flying a plane, if an accident occurs that is by no means your fault, youre still responsible for ALL damages caused.. Oregon has it that way.. Washington (where I crashed) did not.. hmm.. could be a boeing thing

But the net result, the person who sued me.. sshould of sued in Oregon.. and lost only because WA has the exact opposit, you have to prove reclass behavior to collect

As to my story.. Here is the link I posted 2+ years ago on here... I had a crank shaft failure on my plane, causing a total engine failure in flight on departure. COmpletely cleared by the NTSB and FAA..

http://lxforums.com/board/showthread.php?t=51714