National Terrorism Litigation Lawyers
Helping Victims of Terror Attacks and Their Families to Seek Answers, Accountability and Compensation
The Driscoll Firm, LLC, is dedicated to helping the victims of terror acts and those who have lost loved ones to acts of international terrorism.
Our law firm offers the combination of skill, experience and resources that it takes to seek the answers, accountability and compensation that victims and their families deserve.
We firmly believe that taking legal action through the civil justice system and focusing on those who provide financing and other material support to terrorists plays an important role in the fight against terror.
Our law firm is well-versed in the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1990 and the more recently enacted Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act of 2016. These laws provide important civil remedies to terror victims and their survivors.
If you have been injured or lost a family member to terrorist acts on foreign soil, we can use these laws and other legal tools to seek justice for you.
To discuss your case, please contact us today by phone or by reaching us online. Our firm works with clients throughout the country.
Who Should Be Held Responsible for Terrorism?
Throughout history, individuals and groups have used terror for profit, political aims and, in some cases, to simply sow the seeds of chaos. However, in recent years, several groups have emerged as the most pressing terror threats such as:
- Al-Qaeda • Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
- ISIS • Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine (PLI)
- Hamas • Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
- Hezbollah • Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
These and other terrorist organizations pose a threat to Americans living, working, studying and traveling, in Israel, Iraq and other areas in the Middle East as well as in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.
However, major attacks have also occurred in European cities such as Paris and Brussels.
Since 9/11, of course, we must now face the reality that we are no longer safe from international terrorist organizations attacking us on our own soil.
Any individuals or organizations that plan, execute, incite or inspire terror attacks can and should be held liable for the injuries and deaths they cause. But they are not the only ones who may be held responsible for terror attacks.
The sponsors of terrorism should be held accountable as well, including:
- Banks, hedge funds and other financial institutions that either negligently or willfully allow their entities to serve as conduits for terrorist financing and, in turn, help to make acts of terror possible
- Charities or other non-profit groups who essentially acts as “fronts” for terrorists, collecting money that is eventually funneled to these organizations
- Countries, or state sponsors, of terrorism, including those which have been singled out by the U.S. government such as Iran and Syria (which have been found to directly finance, train and arm terrorists).
In some situations, it may be important to focus attention on the hotel, club or other venue where a terrorist attack occurs and to examine whether it bears responsibility due to its failure to provide adequate security.
At The Driscoll Firm, we will carefully gather evidence and consult with terror, security and financial experts as we sift through the facts in your case. Our goal will be to seek justice from everyone who should be held accountable for a terror attack that has struck you or your loved one.
What Is the Anti-Terrorism Act?
Two terror attacks during the 1980s – the hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship and the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland – brought attention to the lack of civil legal remedies available to those harmed by terror attacks that occur overseas.
In 1990, federal lawmakers came up with a solution: The Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). The law allows U.S. citizens injured in “person, property or business by reason of an act of international terrorism,” or their surviving family members, to bring a lawsuit in a U.S. District Court.
Those who bring a claim under the ATA may seek a recovery of their actual damages such as:
- Medical expenses
- Funeral or burial expenses
- Lost income
- Loss of a loved one’s services, society and support
- Pain and suffering.
Those damages are trebled (multiplied by three). An anti-terrorism lawsuit may also seek a recovery of legal costs and attorney’s fees.
An ATA lawsuit could be pursued by anyone harmed by terrorism while abroad such as a service member, civilian contractor, government worker, volunteer, student or tourist. If the victim died, a claim could be brought by his or her estate, survivors or heirs.
In recent years, several courts have interpreted the ATA to allow claims against not only terrorist organizations but also those who finance or provide material support to terrorists, including banks, non-profits and others.
Allowing claims to be brought against those who make terrorism financing possible, it could be argued, allows victims and their families to pursue the justice and compensation they deserve as well as to ultimately prevent future acts of terrorism.
What Is the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act?
Claims brought through the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), of course, is an emerging area of the law.
The law allows U.S. citizens to bring lawsuits against foreign countries that are found to have sponsored acts of terrorism on U.S. soil.
Although the law was essentially crafted to allow 9/11 victims and their families to sue Saudi Arabia over its alleged assistance to those behind the 9/11 attacks, the law could arguably apply in many other situations as well.
If you believe that you may have a claim under this law, The Driscoll Firm can put its legal skill and innovative approach to work for you.
Our Lawyers Seek Justice for Terror Victims and Their Families
Keep in mind: Pursuing an anti-terrorism claim can be a challenging endeavor. At The Driscoll Firm, we believe that we can offer the legal experience and resources as well as the compassion you will need in order to move forward.
Through the years, our firm has represented clients in a broad range of highly complex civil claims in state and federal courts across the country. As a reflection of our legal acumen and our record of success, we often are appointed to serve leadership roles in class-action cases and coordinate judicial proceedings.
When you are ready to take legal action, please contact us. We can provide a timely, free and confidential consultation. We will help you to understand your legal rights and all of the options that may be available to you.
View Lawsuits Against Iran & Banks
CASE NO.: 1:16-cv-02193-EGS
Doc. 5-0 First Amended Complaint (1)
CASE NO.: 3:16-cv-01207-DRH-DGW
