Aviation authority apppeals E387,000 defamation award to pilot
A E387,000 defamation award by a jury to an Aer Lingus pilot was “wholly disproportionate” and should be set aside, the Court of Appeal has been told. The court should substitute its own reduced award to Padraig Higgins against the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) in place of that sum, the authority said. Captain Higgins opposed an IAA appeal over the award arguing it was reasonable in the circumstances of the case. The appeal was before a three-judge court via remote hearing on Tuesday when judgment was reserved. Capt Higgins sued over three defamatory emails the authority sent in 2013. His was the first case in which at jury was asked to assess damages where the defamation was admitted and an apology given. It followed a Supreme Court decision in 2018 which found juries could assess damages in cases where an “offer of amends” had been made.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2020-04-29/unaligned/aviation-authority-apppeals-e387-000-defamation-award-to-pilot
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Aviation authority apppeals E387,000 defamation award to pilot
A E387,000 defamation award by a jury to an Aer Lingus pilot was “wholly disproportionate” and should be set aside, the Court of Appeal has been told. The court should substitute its own reduced award to Padraig Higgins against the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) in place of that sum, the authority said. Captain Higgins opposed an IAA appeal over the award arguing it was reasonable in the circumstances of the case. The appeal was before a three-judge court via remote hearing on Tuesday when judgment was reserved. Capt Higgins sued over three defamatory emails the authority sent in 2013. His was the first case in which at jury was asked to assess damages where the defamation was admitted and an apology given. It followed a Supreme Court decision in 2018 which found juries could assess damages in cases where an “offer of amends” had been made.<br/>
