Lufthansa Open to ‘Unlimited’ Liability

Lawyers say Germanwings’ suicidal co-pilot may open parent company Lufthansa to unlimited liability claims from victims’ families. Under international conventions, coverage for each victim would start at roughly $139,000 but could go much higher. “From the perspective of the airline, it’s difficult. There are no real defenses that you can use. It is irrational," says aviation law expert George Leloudas. “That is why you buy insurance.” Germanwings may be insured for up to $1 billion, according to Stewarts Law LLP lawyer James Healy-Pratt. The company maintains that Lubitz did not submit a note barring him from work to his employers.