Lidle estate to get full union benefits, but may be ineligible for life in

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/general/2006-10-13-lidle-benefits_x.htm

NEW YORK — Cory Lidle's estate will receive full pension and other benefits from the players union even though the pitcher was a replacement player during the 1994-95 work stoppage.

Two baseball officials with knowledge of Lidle's pension status told USA TODAY on Thursday that replacement players remain shut out from the union's licensing program. Those players, however, receive all benefits regular members of the union get. They also are represented by the union in matters such as grievances.

But Lidle's estate could be ineligible for $1.5 million in life insurance and accidental death benefits if it's determined Lidle was piloting the plane. The life insurance plan calls for a $450,000 life insurance benefit and has an accidental death benefit of $1.05 million. However, the plan — which applies to all big leaguers — contains an exclusion for "any incident related to travel in an aircraft ... while acting in any capacity other than as a passenger."

Lidle and his flight instructor, Tyler Stanger, were killed Wednesday when Lidle's four-seat Cirrus SR20 crashed into a building on the Upper East Side. While Lidle was the registered owner of the aircraft, it has not been confirmed who was at the controls.

FULL story at link above.

[LiberalFighter]

1. How will they prove something like that?

What if he was piloting and then handed off control to the flight instructor?
What if the flight instructor had control and had a heart attack and Lidle took over control?

[geek tragedy]

2. Even if he wasn't flying the plane, it would be

extremely difficult to prove that he was there as a passenger. Common sense says that if he's up there in his plane with his flight instructor, he's either flying the plane or taking a flight lesson.