Law Firm Has Another 21 Cases Pending

Fourteen families who lost loved ones in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks reached settlements in federal court Monday, in their cases against a private security company and United Airlines.

Terms of the settlements were not disclosed, reports CNN. The families chose not to participate in the victims compensation fund created by Congress two weeks after the attacks, as they felt the fund was "unfair in numerous ways," said Motley Rice LLC attorney Donald Migliori.

The South Carolina-based law firm -- no strangers to aviation-related litigation -- represents the majority of families seeking compensation over the attacks. After the settlements, Motley Rice has 21 remaining 9/11-related cases still pending.

The settlements reached Monday mostly involved passengers on United Airlines Flights 93 and 175.

Flight 175 was one of two planes that struck the World Trade Center towers; Flight 93 crashed in a field in Shanksville, PA after passengers onboard attempted to retake the aircraft from hijackers.

Another defendant in several of the cases is Argenbright Security, which once handled security screening operations for the Department of Transportation. The DOT dropped the firm in 2002, following allegations of inferior safety practices.

Some of the families may still chose to reject the settlement, according to Marc Moller of Kreindler & Kreindler. Moller coordinates communication among the various law firms involved in the cases, according to CNN.

FMI: www.united.com, www.motleyrice.com