Podhurst Orseck Files Lawsuit on Behalf of American Killed in Brazil's Worst Airline Disaster

Ricardo Tazoe of Miami was a passenger on board TAM airlines Flight 3054 MIAMI, July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Internationally-recognized aviationattorneys Steven C. Marks and Ricardo M. Martinez-Cid have filed a lawsuiton behalf of the family of 35-year-old Ricardo Tazoe of Miami who was amongthe 199 people killed on July 17 when TAM Airlines Flight 3054 slid off therunway at Congonhas Airport and slammed into an air cargo building in SaoPaulo, Brazil. The complaint (case #07-21941) was filed in the U.S.District Court for the Southern District of Florida. "From the evidence gathered so far, it's clear that TAM knew there wereproblems with the aircraft," said Marks. "The plane's right thrust reverserhad been deactivated before the flight. The thrust reverser is used to slowthe jet down upon landing and had it been operational, it may haveprevented this accident." According to recent reports, the flight recorders revealed one of thejet's throttles was in the accelerate position instead of idle whiletouching down. Marks explained that "if true, that suggests pilot error.The incorrect throttle position would make the aircraft speed down therunway faster than normal. Without an operational right thrust reverser, itdidn't have enough room to stop on the runway; ending in a horrific crashwhen the plane skidded off the runway's edge. TAM clearly is responsibleboth factually and legally for damages to Ricardo's wife and two smallchildren." Martinez-Cid, who is fluent in Portuguese, sees some parallels to thecrash of Gol Flight 1907. "In less than a year, Brazil has suffered throughthe two most devastating air disasters in the country's history and bothaccidents have become politicized." Much is being made in the Brazilianpress about the length of Congonhas' runway. Nonetheless, Martinez-Cidexplained that "thousands of aircraft successfully have used that runwayand TAM was familiar with it. The investigation of the accident needs tofocus on TAM and the US companies that manufactured and maintained thethrust reversers." In addition to TAM, which is charged with its own negligence and thatof its pilots and maintenance personnel, the defendants in the lawsuit areAirbus S.A.S.; Airbus Industrie G.I.E. (EADS) (EAD.PA); GoodrichCorporation (NYSE: GR); and International Aero Engines (IAE). According to the complaint, IAE was the manufacturer of the plane'sengine, which included the thrust reverser system. Airbus, the manufacturerof the doomed A320 aircraft, is facing counts of negligence and strictproducts liability for its use. Attorneys said Goodrich, which manufacturedthe A320's braking system, was in charge of providing proper maintenance ofthe thrust reversers in TAM's fleet and are charged with negligence. Tazoe, an employee of Banco Santander on Miami's Brickell Avenue, issurvived by a wife and two children. The family is seeking a jury trial torecover financial damages for pain and suffering; lost value of life;funeral expenses; and all other damages they may be entitled to under thelaw. Marks and Martinez-Cid have extensive experience handling Brazilianaviation matters. They currently represent numerous victims who were killed when Gol Transportes Aeros Flight #1907 collided with an Embraer Legacy600 business jet over the Amazon Rainforest in September 2006. Marks and Martinez-Cid have represented victims in countlesssignificant major commercial airline crashes, including victims killed inthe crash of Comair Flight 5191 at the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky.in August 2006. Marks has acted as co-lead trial counsel for the CaliforniaState Court plaintiffs after a Silk Air crash between Jakarta and Singaporein 1997 (successfully obtaining one of the most significant and largestverdicts in a mass disaster aviation case) and acting as lead liaisoncounsel for the state court and federal multi-district litigationplaintiffs' steering committees over the ValuJet Flight 592 crash inMiami-Dade County in 1996. Based in Miami, Podhurst Orseck, P.A. concentrates exclusively in trialand appellate litigation. The firm's general tort practice places a majoremphasis on aviation, automobile, products liability and medicalmalpractice litigation. In addition, the firm has a substantial practice incommercial, matrimonial and criminal litigation, as well as complexcommercial tort litigation. Attorneys serve clients and corporationsthroughout the United States, and in many foreign countries. You can learnmore about Podhurst Orseck by visiting the firm's website athttp://www.podhurst.com. For more information contact: Steven C. Marks or Ricardo M. Martinez-Cid 305-358-2800 Distributed By: Wragg & Casas Public Relations, Inc. 1000 Brickell Avenue, Suite 400 Miami, Florida 33131 Ph: 305-372-1234 Cell: 305-987-7468 Charles Jones/Jimmy Hernandez cjones@wraggcasas.com jhernandez@wraggcasas.com