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Statutory interpretation – words given their ordinary meaning – intrinsic aids – other sections of the same legislation

Saturday 10 December 2005 at 7:20 am | In News | Post Comment

Deep Vein Thrombosis and Air Travel Group Litigation [2005] HL
D the airline companies. The claimants suffered the effects of deep vein thrombosis which occurred during otherwise uneventful long flights. The only issue was whether the illness amounted to an “accident” under the Warsaw Convention 1929; if it did then those effected would be entitled to compensation.

Held: The language of the Convention itself must always be the starting point. The “accident” which causes the injury must be something other than the injury itself. The word “accident” had to be contrasted with the word “occurrence” found in other sections of the treaty.

C lost