NYC can't limit ferry crash damages

[NoGOPZone]

NEW YORK - A federal judge Monday denied the city's request to limit the amount of damages from the Staten Island ferry crash that killed 11 people and injured dozens in one of the worst mass-transit disasters in city history.


The city had sought to cap awards on outstanding claims at a total of $14.4 million — the value of the vessel Andrew J. Barberi — under a 19th century maritime statute. Although many of the ferry lawsuits have already been settled, dozens of plaintiffs are still seeking tens of millions of dollars in damages.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070226/ap_on_re_us/ferry_accident_ruling

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Admiralty law is clear that..

any vessel can limit its liability to its value. Been that way for hundreds of years, perhaps even thousands of years since the Phoenicians started fooling around with maritime law.

But, it's also common in any admiralty lawsuit to try to get around that by claiming unseaworthiness, and that's usually successful.