Judge: Families Can Seek Punitive Damages in Kentucky Plane Crash

A federal judge ruled that families of those killed aboard Comair Flight 5191 in Kentucky may seek punitive damages in a trial set for August 4.

The ruling is considered a victory for the plaintiffs.

In his ruling made public June 9, U.S. District Judge Karl Forester says there was enough evidence to allow a jury to decide if the airline’s management was responsible for the Aug. 27, 2006, crash that killed 49 people at Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport.

Comair has admitted its pilots made mistakes in taking off from the wrong runway, but argued it did not authorize their conduct.

An attorney for the plaintiffs says the ruling gives the community a chance to send a message. A spokeswoman for Comair did not respond to calls and pages from The Courier-Journal of Louisville.

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