Katrina Litigation Moves Forward

The New York Times reports that a lawsuit by property owners against the US Army Corps of Engineers regarding the breaking of the levees during Hurricane Katrina begins today.  Click this link to get to the article.  The article notes that the plaintiffs overcame the immunity issue, but still need to prove that government negligence, not the sheer force of the hurricane, caused their damage.  In terms of significance of this litigation, here's what the article says:

The plaintiffs say they hope a victory in the case could open the door for a broader class action in which more than 400,000 claims have been filed against the government. An Army financial projection has concluded that there is a reasonable possibility that potential government losses could ultimately range from $10 billion to $100 billion.

ADL