A US District Court Judge in Manhattan is soon to rule on 9/11 settlements for 2 of 3 remaining plaintiffs who did not opt to participate in the special no-fault fund as detailed in my entry World Trade Center: What Is A Life Worth? of January 11, 2010.
Thus far, 93 of 96 non-participating plaintiffs have settled their cases against airline companies, aviation security companies and others.
Strangely, money amounts are not disclosed, either for the 93 cases so far, nor for the two now pending settlement. (It is thought that the 93 cases have received a total of $500 million.)
The District Court Judge is going to cap legal fees at 15%. The attorneys say that they have earned their fees, and their clients the large settlements, given the unique factors of each case, the applicable laws, the years of work in representation and the risks of litigating the case.
