Air crash survivor suing for millions

New Zealand air crash survivor Barry Small could pocket up to $2 million if he wins a court case against a Korean airline, his lawyer says.

Mr Small was one of 26 survivors of a Korean Airlines jumbo jet crash in Guam in 1997.

A total of 225 passengers and crew died when the aircraft smashed into a densely wooded hill on its final landing approach.

Mr Small has joined other survivors and families of victims in suing the airline.

His American lawyer, Brian Alexandra, said Mr Small could benefit by at least $1 million if he won.

He said complex legal matters had still to be settled before the case could go to court, including one suggestion that aspects of Mr Small's claim might be decided under provisions of New Zealand law.

Mr Small badly injured his right leg and was badly burned when the jumbo jet burst into flames on impact.

As he waited to be rescued Mr Small endured the screams of the injured and dying.

He was the only New Zealander on board and Mr Alexandra said it was difficult to say how much Mr Small could win.

Mr Small still had bad dreams about the crash every night.

"The post-traumatic stress he has gone through has been substantial and he has been very affected by this terrible tragedy," said Mr Alexandra.

"He was very fortunate to live through it, but there are a lot of side-effects emotionally that go along with being a survivor and having witnessed this terrible inferno in the jungle, hour after hour having to listen to people die."

He said Mr Small was not easily unsettled, which made his trauma more severe.

"He is not an eggshell kind of guy. He is the opposite ... an outgoing, tough kind of guy.

"I don't think people can appreciate it until they can talk to Barry and understand what he got to see and what he had to live through and the nightmares he has had."

Mr Alexandra said some of the legal details could be finalised next month before a date for a substantive hearing was set.

- NZPA