Lisa Jorgensen v. Massachusetts Port Authority, Appeal of Donald Hertzfeldt and Peter Langley

BOWNES, Senior Circuit Judge.

This is an appeal from an order of the district court setting aside a jury’s award of damages to appellants Donald Hertz-feldt and Peter Langley for harm allegedly done to their reputations as airline pilots as a result of their involvement in an aircraft accident that was found to have been caused, in part, by the negligence of the defendant-appellee Massachusetts Port Authority. The district court ruled, as a matter of Massachusetts law, that losses for harm to reputation were not recoverable elements in an “ordinary” negligence case. The court alternatively…