The Crane Case

Pennsylvania - New Jersey - New York - Nationwide

(continued from page 1)with the bottom of the mine shaft.

The judge seemed most interested in the damages, including pain and suffering, Guerrini said.

Guerrini said that Casa de los Angeles was released on preliminary objections because the charity did not conduct business in Philadelphia.

Travel for Teens' carrier, Ace, is disputing that there is insurance coverage for Crane's death, but Guerrini said his firm disputes that there is not coverage.

The defense pretrial memorandum said that its liability insurance was written "inexplicably" so that there was no coverage for events that occurred in a foreign venue. "Under the circumstances, Travel for Teens has discussed the concept of the assignment of the broker's negligence claims to the plaintiffs, in settlement of the claim against Travel for Teens," defense said.

Crane was a "national merit commended scholar," his parents were college-educated and Crane intended to go to college, Guerrini said.

The plaintiffs estimated that Crane's future lost earning capacity ranged from $1.96 million to $7.77 million, according to court papers.

"The verdict represents what a special kid Taylor was," Guerrini said. "His family was very committed to service."