Opinion ID: 747145
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Proceedings in and Disposition by the District Court

Text: 3 On September 1, 1983, Korean Air Lines (KAL) flight KE007 deviated from its plotted course and strayed into the airspace of the former Soviet Union. The plane crashed into the Sea of Japan after being struck by missiles fired from a Soviet military fighter plane. The crash killed all 269 persons aboard. See generally In re Korean Air Lines Disaster of September 1, 1983, 932 F.2d 1475, 1477-79 (D.C.Cir.1991). Multi-district litigation proceedings established KAL's liability for this disaster. The individual cases were then separately tried for damages. In this appeal, KAL challenges damage awards in three of those trials. 4 In 1993, KAL filed a number of motions in the cases then awaiting trial in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, two of which now come before us on appeal. The first motion sought to limit recoverable damages to those authorized by the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA), 46 U.S.C.App. §§ 761-768, which prohibits recovery of nonpecuniary damages. In the second, KAL opposed the plaintiffs' requests for the award of prejudgment interest and argued that in the event the court made such an award, interest should be based on the rates paid on 52-week Treasury Bills. 5 On April 8, 1993, the district court denied the motions. It held that DOHSA did not preclude the recovery of damages for non-pecuniary injuries because, in the court's view, damages for loss of society, survivor's grief, and pre-death pain and suffering were recoverable under Article 17 of the Warsaw Convention governing international air transportation. See Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Transportation by Air, Oct. 12, 1929, art. XVII, 49 Stat. 3000 (1934) (reprinted in note following 49 U.S.C. § 40105 (1994)) (Warsaw Convention). The court also ruled that prejudgment interest is recoverable at a rate to be determined after trial. 6 The cases were then tried in order to determine KAL's liability for the four deaths. The juries made the following awards: 7 Oldham v. KAL: Death of John Oldham: a. to Nan M. Oldham (mother): (1) loss of support: $ 26,000 (2) loss of society: $100,000  b. to Charlotte OldhamMoore (sister): (1) loss of financial support: $ 8,000 (2) loss of guidance, training, and advice: $ 25,000 (3) loss of society: $ 20,000  c. to Nancy Oldham Raab (sister): (1) loss of society: $ 15,000  d. to William D. Oldham III (brother): (1) loss of society: $ 20,000  e. Pre-death pain and suffering: $100,000 Maikovich v. KAL: 1. Death of Allen Kohn: a. to Robert Kohn (son): (1) loss of support, gifts, and contributions: $120,000 (2) loss of inheritance: $434,000 (3) loss of guidance, training, and advice: $ 50,000 (4) loss of society: $150,000  b. to Joseph Kohn (son): (1) loss of gifts and contributions: $ 60,000 (2) loss of inheritance: $433,000 (3) loss of guidance, training, and advice: $ 30,000 (4) loss of society: $ 80,000  c. to Marsha Maikovich (daughter): (1) loss of gifts and contributions: $ 70,000 (2) loss of inheritance: $433,000 (3) loss of guidance, training, and advice: $ 30,000 (4) loss of society: $100,000  d. Pre-death pain and suffering: $100,000 2. Death of Lillian Kohn: a. to Robert Kohn (son): (1) loss of gifts and contributions: $ 70,000 (2) loss of guidance, training, and advice: $ 50,000 (3) loss of society: $150,000  b. to Joseph Kohn (son): (1) loss of gifts and contributions: $ 60,000 (2) loss of guidance, training, and advice: $ 30,000 (3) loss of society: $ 80,000  c. to Marsha Maikovich (daughter): (1) loss of gifts and contributions: $ 70,000 (2) loss of guidance, training, and advice: $ 30,000 (3) loss of society: $100,000  d. to Lillian Percy Beale (mother): (1) loss of society: $ 50,000  e. Pre-death pain and suffering: $100,000 Ocampo v. KAL: Death of Suellen Ocampo: a. to Edward Ocampo (husband): (1) loss of services: $ 26,000 (2) loss of society: $ 35,000  b. to the Estate of Suellen Ocampo: (1) loss of net accumulated assets: $ 63,016 (2) pre-death pain and suffering: $ 0 8 ---------------