Airlines not liable for passengers’ DVT

Cortez v. Air New Zealand Ltd. (9th Cir. (Cal.) Oct. 2, 2006) & Damon v. Air Pacific Ltd. (9th Cir. (Cal.) Oct. 2, 2006).  In virtually identical opinions, the Ninth Circuit held that neither the passengers’ development of deep vein thrombosis (“DVT”) nor the airlines’ failure to warn the passengers of the risk of DVT constitutes an “accident” as that term is used in Article 17 of the Warsaw Convention.  Since no “accident” had occurred, the airlines were not liable for the passengers’ DVT injuries.


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