Championing the rights of victims since 1950.

Lion Air JT610 | SETTLED FOR CONFIDENTIAL AMOUNTS

On March 6, 2019, HLG filed a lawsuit against The Boeing Company in the United States on behalf of victim families in the deadly crash of a Boeing 737 Max 8 shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia on October 29, 2018. HLG represents 46 victim families.

By the end of 2020, we successfully resolved cases for all 46 families. The amounts are confidential, but it was a large win for the clients and justice. You can read more in the “Articles” and “New Releases” sections of this website.

There are similarities between the Lion Air crash and the crash of Sriwijaya Air Flight SJ 182. We currently represent 17 victims families from the SJ 182 and are still signing clients.

Korean Air KE 801 | $95,871,244

In 1997, Korean Airlines flight KE 801 crashed into Nimitz Hill while trying to land at Agana, Guam in bad weather.  Approximately half of the passengers survived the initial impact only to burn to death in the ensuing fire. There were a handful of survivors.

The victims came together to select a committee and chairman.  They screened all the U.S. aviation firms until they selected 10 firms to make presentations.  After the presentations, 56 families chose our firm.  The second largest group was 14.

HLG won more than $95 million.

CHINA AIRLINES CI 611 | $33,140,000

In 2002, China Airlines CI 611 disintegrated over the Strait of Taiwan during a flight from Taipei, Taiwan to Hong Kong, China.  Everyone on board died.

Our investigation revealed that the plane came apart as a result of faulty repairs directed by Boeing, the company that built the plane. The Taiwanese came together to form a group and interview all the U.S. lawyers interested in representing them.  All but a handful of the victims chose our HLG to represent them.

HLG won more than $33 million.

Korean Air KAL 007 | $29,000,000

In 1983, a Soviet MIG shot down Korean Air flight KAL 007 after it had wandered off course deep into Soviet territory during its flight from New York to Seoul, Korea.  History records this incident as second closest the USA and the Soviet Union came to starting World War III, behind only the Cuban Missile crisis. 

After interviewing numerous U.S. law firms, the families of 89 of the 102 Koreans who died in this disaster chose HLG to represent them.  Charles Herrmann’s role in winning the case was portrayed in the HBO movie Tailspin and featured in the book Death of Flight 007.

Air China CA 129 | $22,360,000

In 2002, Air China flight CA 129 from Beijing crashed into a mountain while attempting to land at Busan, Korea. 

Of 97 victims, 86 chose HLG to represent them.  The case was concluded before the Supreme Court of Korea and we won a judgment several times greater than the amount Korean courts have traditionally awarded for wrongful deaths and personal injuries.

HLG recovered more than $22 Million.

Ethiopian Airlines ET 302 | Pending

On March 10, 2019, a brand-new Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed because of defective equipment. Shortly thereafter, the Boeing aircraft was grounded worldwide. The equipment failure and circumstances of the Ethiopian Airlines crash are highly similar to the equipment failure and crash of Lion Air JT 610. 

You can read more about this case and the Lion Air crash in the “Articles” and “News Releases” section of our website.

HLG is representing victim families in both disasters.

Asiana Air OZ 214 | Confidential

On July 6, 2013, Asiana Air OZ 214 crashed into a seaside bulkhead while landing at San Francisco International Airport.

A combination of an inadequately trained crew, defects in the design of the plane’s auto throttle, and malfunctioning evacuating slides resulted in the aircraft striking the seaside bulkhead.

HLG represented most of the cabin crew as well as many of the passengers. Victims were fully compensated for a confidential amount.

MI JOO TOUR BUS | $14,819,389

In December of 2012, the grossly overworked driver of a Mi Joo Tour Bus lost control on snow and ice upon the roadway and plummeted off a cliff with 45 passengers. Nine people died and dozes were injured.

HLG led all plaintiff attorneys in reaching agreement with the defense to pay their maximum policy limits of $10 million and then submit the question of each victim’s damages to an arbitrator.

The total award was a pro rata share of the $10 million based upon total combined evaluations of $14,364,389.

Ride The Ducks | $9,000,000

On September 24, 2015, an amphibious vehicle, converted by Ride the Ducks International into a civilian “Duck Boat,” collided with a tour bus.

Ride the Ducks was aware that the axel housings on Duck Boats could be dangerously defective. Ride the Ducks even published a warning to its own operators in the form of a service bulletin, but failed to inform its franchise in Seattle. HLG represented three injured and one Decedent on the tour bus.

HLG won a settlement of $9 million.

NTPS Crash | 2003 | $4,000,000

In 2003, a Korean Air Force Major was selected to attend a highly specialized course at the National Test Pilot School near Rosamond, California.  In his first training flight with an instructor, the plane crashed. Both pilots died. 

The incident landed on the Korean Air Force Attaché’s desk at the Korean Embassy in Washington D.C. where he proceeded to conduct a meticulous survey of U.S. aviation firms.  He made the final decision to refer the deceased Major’s widow to HLG. 

HLG won $4 million for the Korean Major’s family.

MOTORCYCLE COLLISION | $2.5 Million

In 2020, we settled a case were our clients, a married couple riding a motorcycle, were hit by a truck.

The defendant, driving a postal truck, darted directly in front of them at an intersection. The husband had to slide the motorcycle into the side of the truck. He and his wife, the passenger, flew off the motorcycle and tumbled on the ground. He broke several bones and was airlifted to Harborview. She dislocated her sternum. Though they suffered PTSD, both recovered.

HLG recovered $2.5 million for them.

TACA Airlines TA 390 | $2,320,000 | PENDING

In 2008, TACA Airlines flight TA 390 ran off the runway while attempting to land at the airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

HLG filed the first lawsuit in the USA on behalf of several of our Honduran clients.  Five survivor cases filed in the USA have been settled for more than $2,300,000.

HLG currently represents 28 other victims before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Central America.

Drowning wrongful death  |  SETTLED FOR CONFIDENTIAL AMOUNT

 Herrmann Law Group obtained a confidential settlement in a case involving a young man who drowned at a summer camp.

University of Washington Bus Crash | 1.482 Million

 In 2018, a bus full of University of Washington students in the marching band flipped near George, WA. Herrmann Law Group represented 4 students. After 3 years, the case was finally tried to a jury. After a 3 week trial, the jury returned a combined verdict of 1.482 million dollars.

SPOKANE PLANE CRASH | SETTLED FOR CONFIDENTIAL AMOUNT

Aviation wrongful death. When a young man was killed during a training flight in Eastern Washington, Herrmann Law Group represented his widow and obtained a confidential settlement despite serious liability challenges.

Wrongful Death | 1.1 Million

Herrmann Law Group represented a gentleman who was in his last week of work when he was killed by a car. He was outside of his van returning his equipment when a driver who allegedly suffered a sudden medical emergency lost control of her vehicle and slammed into him. He was instantly killed.

Despite contested liability, Herrmann Law Group obtained a policy limits settlement of 1.1 million dollars in 2021

Police Shooting | Settled

In 2018, HLG worked with civil rights attorney Ben Crump to secure a settlement in the fatal police shooting of farm worker Antonio Zambrano-Montes.

Officers first fired at Zambrano-Montes after he threw a rock at them. Initially, the officers fired five shots. One round hit Zambrano-Montes in the arm.  Video of the incident appeared to show Zambrano-Montes running after the first shot. He then turned and raised his arm. Officers said he was about to throw another rock. Officers fired 12 rounds. Six of the shots hit Zambrano-Montes, killing him. The Franklin County Prosecutor declined to file criminal charges against the officers.

You can read more about HLG’s experience with excessive police force in our “Practice Areas” section of our website. 

WRONGFUL DEATH | CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT

An elderly man was walking across the street in a crosswalk. The defendant, a cab driver, hit him. The victim was hospitalized for his injuries, but never fully recovered. He was transferred to a nursing home. At the nursing home, he slipped and fell. The nursing home staff ignored him for the entire night. The next morning he died.

HLG represented the family of the victim and held both the defendant driver and the defendant nursing home fully accountable. The confidential settlement exceeded insurance limits.

Arrow Air 1285 | $650,000

In 1985, a charter flight of Arrow Air carrying 256 members of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division crashed shortly after takeoff at the airport in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada. Everyone onboard died.

The parents of our hometown soldier on the plane chose us to represent them.

Pedestrian Incident  |  $354,901.92

Herrmann Law Group successfully resolved a pedestrian case where our client was crossing the street late at night. The 3rd party insurance denied liability and alleged that our client was crossing without the right of way. After litigating for two years, HLG obtained a favorable settlement in mediation for $354,901.92.

Parking Lot Incident | $350,000.00

In 2019, a resident of a condo building was walking out of her parking garage when she was hit by another resident. She suffered a broken leg as a result. Herrmann Law Group settled her case for the policy limits of $350,000.

Multiple Collision Incidents  |  $347,500.00

Herrmann Law Group won $347,500 for a 64-year-old gentleman who was involved in two bad crashes and suffered neck and back injuries. The at fault insurance companies refused to pay full compensation due to our client’s pre-existing injury.

AUTO COLLISION | $225,000

HLG’s client was rear-ended by another vehicle. As a result, the client required surgery. Initially, the defendant driver’s insurance company refused to pay full compensation because the client had a pre-existing injury.  

After HLG attorneys put together a strong case for trial, the insurance company settled. 

HLG won $225,000 for the client.

Rear End Collision  |  $208,000.00

A client of Herrmann Law Group’s was able to secure a settlement of 208,000 following a rear end collision.

Trial Against the Federal Government  |  $204,296

Herrmann Law Group tried a case against the United States Postal Service related a rear end collision. Despite serious challenges regarding causation of his injuries, Herrmann Law Group was able to obtain a verdict of $204,296.20.

T-Bone Trial | $163,136

In 2018, our client was driving home from work when he was T-Boned by an Uber driver. He suffered neck and back issues. After a 2 week trial in 2021, the jury returned a verdict of $163,136.

Dog bite  |  $80,000.00

One of Herrmann Law Group’s clients was bit on her face by a neighbor’s dog. Despite minimal scarring, Herrmann Law Group obtained a settlement of $80,000.00 for our client.