Injured passengers on Singapore Airlines face varied compensation

Passengers injured by severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday are likely eligible for compensation, but the amount each receives could differ dramatically even for identical injuries due to an international treaty. One passenger died and the airline said 30 passengers were treated for injuries after a flight from London to Singapore made an emergency landing in Bangkok on Tuesday. Samitivej Hospital said it was treating 71 passengers. Under the Montreal Convention, Singapore Airlines is liable for accidents, which can include turbulence, on international flights regardless of whether the airline was negligent, according to U.S. aviation lawyers. If passengers file a lawsuit, the airline cannot contest damages up to around $175,000. If a passenger seeks larger damages, Singapore Airlines can try to limit liability by proving it took all necessary measures to avoid the turbulence, said Mike Danko, a California attorney who represents passengers. He said airlines rarely prevail on such arguments. Danko said the airline can also limit their liability by showing the passenger bore some of the fault for the injury, such as by ignoring warnings to wear a seat belt. The size of damages often comes down to the country where the case is filed and how the legal system assesses the amount of compensation.<br/>"First and foremost what is the jurisdiction where you can bring a claim and how do they value injury claims," said Daniel Rose, a New York attorney with Kreindler & Kreindler, which represents passengers.<br/>For example, U.S. juries have awarded passengers more than $1m for the emotional trauma of severe turbulence, while many courts in other countries award far less if anything for similar emotional distress.<br/>