CHICAGO, Nov. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys representing families of victims tragically killed aboard the doomed Lion Air Flight 610 filed wrongful death lawsuits against Boeing in Cook County IL, where the aircraft manufacturer is headquartered. The Plaintiffs' legal team is headed by the nationally recognized trial firm Kabateck LLP.
The lawsuits filed today allege that 189 people lost their lives in a horrific nosedive crash caused by a defective anti-stall system and Boeing's defective flight manual and operating procedures. The 737 MAX 8, which is the newest generation of Boeing's 737 series of aircraft, is under scrutiny for its defective anti-stall system and the maneuvering characteristics augmentation system (MCAS).
"We believe the defective and unsafe conditions created by the makers of the anti-stall system are responsible for the catastrophic loss of human life here," said Kabateck LLP founding partner Brian S. Kabateck. Mr. Kabateck is recognized as one of the nation's leading plaintiff trial attorneys and is often relied upon for critical analysis by major news outlets like CNN, MSNBC and FOX.
The 737 MAX 8 departed from Jakarta's Soekarno - Hatta International Airport around 6:21 a.m. on October 29, 2018. Shortly after takeoff, the Lion Air crew contacted air traffic controllers and requested a return to Jakarta. The aircraft received authorization to return, but it did not manage a turnaround. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft bank left, make significant altitude shifts, and then drop sharply. According to data from flight radars, the plane was at an altitude of about 5,000 feet when its final descent began. The aircraft plummeted into the sea and disintegrated upon impact, killing everyone onboard.
"Boeing knew or should have known its aircraft and flight operations manual were unsafe and created a significant safety hazard, but the defendant failed to notify or warn anyone, which has caused immense pain and loss for surviving family members," said co-counsel, Steven Hart with Hart, McLaughlin & Eldridge.
One lawsuit is filed on behalf of a 26-year-old woman named Dayinta Dyah Anggana whose 54-year-old mother, Nurul Dyah Ayu Sitharesmi died. The plaintiffs in the second lawsuit include the 31-year-old widow and young daughters of Dr. Ibnu Hantoro, 33.
Additional families are expected to engage the plaintiffs' legal team particularly given recent concern about attempts in Indonesia to coerce family members into signing away their right to seek justice in court. "It has come to our attention that there have been attempts to get families who are unrepresented by counsel to sign away their rights to sue parties like Boeing in exchange for insurance payouts that are required by statute. The families must get full recovery from all responsible parties," added Kabateck.
"We will make sure that families seeking recovery against Boeing are protected. We have coordinated with local Indonesian counsel who will work with us to protect our clients and the rights of all the victims in this matter," said co-counsel Sanjiv Singh.
The plaintiffs' legal team includes Brian S. Kabateck, Christopher Noyes, Shant Karnikian and Brian Hong with Kabateck LLP; Steven Hart and John Marrese with Chicago based Hart, McLaughlin & Eldridge and Sanjiv Singh with the San Mateo, CA law firm SNS PLC.
Contact: Gina Fernandes
Telephone: 626-356-3006
E-mail: Gina@jurisproductions.com
