Lost Earnings Noted in Jury’s Award to Estate

The death of an IBM executive in a 1985 airplane crash deprived him of more than $6 million in earnings, according to a federal jury that awarded $7.95 million to the estate of the man and his wife.

Attorneys for Delta Air Lines immediately moved to set aside the verdict, delivered Monday night after five hours of deliberations in the case brought by the estate of Philip D. Estridge, 47, of New Canaan, Conn., and his wife, Mary Ann.

Attorney Lee Kreindler, who represented the Estridge estate, said the sum was a record for compensatory damages in a wrongful-death suit. The breakdown was $6.25 million for Estridge’s loss of earning; $750,000 for loss of enjoyment of life, and $100,000 for mental anguish.

For Mrs. Estridge, the jury awarded $750,000 for loss of enjoyment of life; and $100,000 for mental anguish. The couple’s three daughters had sought $25 million for Estridge and $5 million for Mrs. Estridge.

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“We don’t think anything could have happened any better, and we’re definitely relieved it’s over,” said Evelyn Eubanks, one of the daughters. “It doesn’t make it better, but it helps us to live with it.”

Estridge, who received much of the credit for moving IBM into the personal computer market, and his wife were among 137 people killed when a Lockheed L-1011 crashed on approach at Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport on Aug. 2, 1985.