The civil trial of Holly and Tim Wicker vs. TWA and Boeing determined liability and damages. The attorney representing the plaintiffs was a very competent attorney for criminal defense by the name of Charles Hvass. As a lawyer representing clients against two deep-pocketed defendants, Charles Hvass was in an enviable position. He had plenty of evidence from physicians, physical therapists, and specialists all indicating that Holly had sustained injuries as a result of TWA 841. He didn’t have to side with either of the two defendants — Boeing or TWA. He could have just focused his attention on the medical aspect of the case and let the jurors decide who was at fault and to what degree. But he did take a side nonetheless. For much of the trial he worked in concert with Boeing, pointing the finger at the crew.
It was a strategy that meant that Don Mark, who represented TWA, would not only be defending the crew against Boeing, but he would also be fighting the plaintiffs’ attorney. It was an uphill battle from the start. It was very much a three against one fight: Don Mark and the crew against Boeing, attorney Charles Hvass, and the very engineers and NTSB personnel who had accused the crew in the original investigation. You could say that the scales of justice were tipped against the crew.
In the video below, attorney Charles Hvass explains why he chose to side with Boeing.
