Chicago-Based Attorneys
Handling Aviation Accidents Nationwide

Settlements And Verdicts

 Beasley v. Presence Hospitals, PRV

Practice Area:
Medical Malpractice

Outcome:
$14,750,000 Verdict ($3 million for loss or a normal life and pain & suffering, $7.4 million for future medical and caretaking expenses, and $1,356,744.03 for past medical expenses)

Description:
Medical malpractice where the patient who was pregnant with twins underwent a cesarean section procedure by the obstetrician that fell below the standard of care. As a result, the patient suffered massive hemorrhaging resulting in hypoxic brain injury and seizure like activity.


Vergara v. Confidential Hospital  

Practice Area:
Medical Malpractice

Outcome:
$12,000,000 Settlement

Description:
Medical malpractice where the obstetrician and nurse failed to perform additional tests on a pregnant mother who reported that her amniotic sac broke prior to delivery. The delay in delivery resulted in the infant suffering a severe brain disorder.


Brokaw v. National Air Cargo Inc.

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
$43,000,000.00 Verdict ($5,000,000 pre-impact fright)

Description:
Crash of a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft on takeoff from Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan on April 29, 2013 that killed the entire crew. Improperly loaded and restrained cargo shifted on takeoff causing a loss of stabilizer control resulting in uncontrolled flight into terrain. All seven souls on board perished.


Lipka v. National Air Cargo, Inc.

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
$25,500,000.00 Verdict ($5,000,000 pre-impact fright)

Description:
Crash of a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft on takeoff from Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan on April 29, 2013 that killed the entire crew. Improperly loaded and restrained cargo shifted on takeoff causing a loss of stabilizer control resulting in uncontrolled flight into terrain. All seven souls on board perished.


Virdi v. National Air Cargo, Inc.

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Crash of a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft on takeoff from Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan on April 29, 2013 that killed the entire crew. Improperly loaded and restrained cargo shifted on takeoff causing a loss of stabilizer control resulting in uncontrolled flight into terrain. All seven souls on board perished.


Coffey v. National Air Cargo, Inc.  

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Crash of a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft on takeoff from Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan on April 29, 2013 that killed the entire crew. Improperly loaded and restrained cargo shifted on takeoff causing a loss of stabilizer control resulting in uncontrolled flight into terrain. All seven souls on board perished.


Garrett v. National Air Cargo, Inc. 

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Crash of a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft on takeoff from Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan on April 29, 2013 that killed the entire crew. Improperly loaded and restrained cargo shifted on takeoff causing a loss of stabilizer control resulting in uncontrolled flight into terrain. All seven souls on board perished.


Layug v. AAR Aircraft & Engine Group, Inc., et al.

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
$165,000,000 Settlement

Description:
Air Philippines Flight 541 slammed into a hill on Samal Island while on approach to landing in Davao, caught fire and disintegrated. 131 passengers and crew died in the accident, making it the largest loss of life from an airline crash in Philippine history. Nolan Law Group’s Aviation Litigation Department filed suit on behalf of 47 plantiffs in August of 2000. The 110 individually-filed, wrongful-death lawsuits were prosecuted in the Circuit Court of Cook County Illinois, against Chicago area companies – AAR Aircraft & Engine Group, Inc. and Fleet Business Credit Corporation. Donald J. Nolan of Nolan Law Group acted as Lead Counsel for all plaintiffs in the cases. Nolan Law Group exposed AAR’s and Fleet’s failure to equip the aircraft with an enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) and instead provided an outdated GPWS that was unsuitable for the topography of the Philippine terrain. The newer system would have given the pilots an approximate half-minute warning that they were approaching the fateful hill. The outdated system provided the pilots of Flight 541 with only a four-second warning.


Mrowiec v. Gray

Practice Area:
Personal Injury

Outcome:
$2,000,000 Settlement

Description:
Motor vehicle accident involving a collision with a school bus that resulted in Plaintiff suffering multiple injuries including a traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures.


In re Crash of Lion Air Flight 610 on October 29, 2018

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Nolan Law Group represented several families of the victims of the Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 crash. The issues were the subject of the 2022 documentary film “Downfall: The Case Against Boeing.”


Vasquez v. Walsh Construction Company

Practice Area:
Brain Injury

Outcome:
$6,250,000 settlement on 5th day of trial

Description:
Construction/roofing laborer fell through a deteriorated roofing panel to floor deck below.


Galindo v. Clayco Construction

Practice Area:
Brain Injury

Outcome:
$6,500,000 settlement

Description:
Construction laborer pinned during trenching operation resulting in neurologic and orthopedic injuries.


Cuevas v. DirecTV, LLC

Practice Area:
Personal Injury

Outcome:
$2,900,000 Settlement

Description:
Defective ladder broke which resulted in a fall and subsequent tibia fractures.


Perez v. 2800 Limited Partnership, et al.

Practice Area:
Product Liability

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Defective grinding machine had safety interlocks that were ineffective which resulted in a degloving injury to plaintiff’s right arm which got caught and pulled into the machine.


Abdalla v. Dream Occasions, Inc.

Practice Area:
Traumatic Brain Injury

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
An altar structure at a wedding broke apart and a portion thereof forcibly struck the Plaintiff, a wedding photographer, causing her significant traumatic brain injury.


Jones v. Cessna Aircraft Company

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Cessna Model 208B aircraft was not properly certified to operate in icy conditions due to defective deicing systems which led to the pilot losing control of the aircraft and ultimately crashed into the ground in Naches, Washington causing the passengers onboard to suffer fatal injuries.


Blockinger v. Reach Medical Holdings, Inc.

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Failure of Defendants to equip a Bell Model 222 helicopter with a proper Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) that caused the subject helicopter to strike a tower in Aurora, Illinois causing the passengers onboard to suffer fatal injuries.


Paternoster v. Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
The DeHavilland DHC-6-100 aircraft suffered a failure and separation of certain compressor turbine blades resulting in engine seizure, fire, crash, and the death of passengers onboard the subject flight.


Dickerson v. Baxter International, Inc.

Practice Area:
Product Liability

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Decedent was administered Baxter’s Chinese-sourced heparin blood thinner for a surgery after Baxter’s initial product recall of its heparin product, but before Baxter recalled all of its heparin products from the market. Following the administration of the adulterated heparin, the decedent suffered near immediate hypotension and his heart completely emptied leading to his death.


Ali v. Advocate Health Centers, Inc.

Practice Area:
Medical Malpractice

Outcome:
$1,500,000 Verdict

Description:
Failure on the part of the hospital and the treating gastroenterologist for the diagnosis and treatment of a gastrointestinal condition which led to the minor patient’s death.


Villaneuva v. Cessna Aircraft Company

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Cessna Model 208B aircraft was not properly certified to operate in icy conditions due to defective deicing systems which led to the pilot losing control of the aircraft and ultimately crashed into the ground in Naches, Washington causing the passengers onboard to suffer fatal injuries.


Ingram v. Cessna Aircraft Company

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Cessna Model 208B aircraft was not properly certified to operate in icy conditions due to defective deicing systems which led to the pilot losing control of the aircraft and ultimately crashed into the ground in Naches, Washington causing the passengers onboard to suffer fatal injuries.


Mikalauskas v. Advocate Health and Hospital Corporation, et al.

Practice Area:
Medical Malpractice

Outcome:
$6,250,000 Settlement at Trial

Description:
Medical malpractice case concerning deviation from the standard of care in plaintiff’s labor and delivery resulting in the infant suffering from hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. The minor plaintiff suffered a profound brain injury requiring 24-hour nursing care.


Naiman v. Cessna Aircraft Company

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Cessna Model 172N aircraft contained defective pilot seat tracks that caused the pilot seat to move rear-word during the flight which resulted in loss of control of the airplane which then crashed into the ground injuring the pilot.


Pease v. Kelly Aerospace, Inc.

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Piper/P-32R-301T aircraft, manufactured with a defective Lycoming TIO 540 AHIA turbocharged engine led to catastrophic engine failure, due to engine oil starvation and the failure of critical internal engine parts which caused the aircraft to lose power and crash into a house-trailer resulting in the pilot suffering a traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures, and permanent disability.


In re Crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 on July 6, 2013

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
The main landing gear and fuselage of a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft impacted the airport perimeter sea wall just short of the runway while attempting to land.


Soto v. Benchmark Construction Co.

Practice Area:
Personal Injury

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Backhoe excavating equipment was negligently operated on a construction site and forcibly struck the Plaintiff which resulted in partial amputation and a severe degloving injury to Plaintiff’s left foot and ankle.


Commerce Trust Co. v. Woodward Governor Company

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Improper rigging and setting of the power plant control mechanisms left the aircraft in a defective condition and led to the dangerously low fuel flow, asymmetrical thrust between the two engines, and a consequent loss of control of the plane. As a result, the aircraft crashed in Cerrillos, New Mexico, while on approach to landing in Santa Fe, New Mexico killing the pilot and his wife.


In re Crash of TANS Peru Flight 204 near Pucallpa, Peru on August 23, 2005

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Settlement of All Claims after successful outcome of FNC motions to dismiss

Description:
Nolan Law Group represented 39 survivors and families of victims from the crash of Flight 204. All cases resolved after successfully defeating motions to transfer claims to Peru.


Coffman v. Martinair

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Cessna Citation 560 aircraft contained a defective deicing system which did not allow the aircraft to adequately shed ice accumulating on the aircraft which caused the aircraft to crash, killing the passengers onboard.


Iskowitz v. Martinair

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement

Description:
Cessna Citation 560 aircraft contained a defective deicing system which did not allow the aircraft to adequately shed ice accumulating on the aircraft which caused the aircraft to crash, killing the passengers onboard.


Nantes v. Robinson Helicopter

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential Settlement While On Appeal

Description:
Governor Rafael Nantes was killed when the helicopter in which he was a passenger crashed and burst into flames. Gov. Nantes survived the crash only to be engulfed in the post-crash fire when the fuel cells of the craft ruptured allowing fuel to spill out into the passenger compartment.


Menini v. Redman’s Towing

Practice Area:
Personal Injury

Outcome:
$1,450,000 settlement

Description:
Motorcycle passenger struck by backing tow truck resulting in fractured ankle.


In re Crash of Aeroflot Nord Flight 821 near Perm, Russia on September 14, 2008

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential settlement of 41 cases

Description:
Crash of Aeroflot Flight 821 — a Boeing 737-500; due to pilot spatial disorientation and inadequate training on western-made flight instruments installed on the aircraft resulting in deaths of all souls on board.


In re Helicopter Crash at Kandahar Airfield on July 19, 2009

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential settlement

Description:
Nolan Law Group represented six estates in the case of multiple Filipino workers were killed in CFIT involving Russian made helicopter while on assignment in support of U.S. forces.


Jensen v. Modern Aero

Practice Area:
Aviation

Outcome:
Confidential settlement

Description:
Crash on takeoff resulting in death of pilot due to mechanical failure of aircraft engine.


Sukstorf v. Hangge Uppe

Practice Area:
Brain Injury

Outcome:
$1,950,000 settlement

Description:
Patron of bar walked through an unmarked doorway leading to fall down service stairs in basement


Donaldson v. Harmon Grain

Practice Area:
Brain Injury

Outcome:
$3,000,000 settlement

Description:
Head on collision as pick-up truck crossed center line due to driver distraction resulting in neurologic and orthopedic injuries.


Tews v. Stoxen Clinic & Drs. Stoxen

Practice Area:
Medical Malpractice

Outcome:
$3,700,000 Verdict (Record Chiropractor Malpractice)

Description:
Chiropractic malpractice leading to neurologic injury due to failure to follow standard of care.


Pietras v. Biddle Company

Practice Area:
Brain Injury

Outcome:
$3,500,000 verdict and settlement

Description:
Failure of trucking company to properly maintain truck resulted in driver’s fall and neurologic injuries.