Court of Appeal ruling could affect WTC case

The UK Court of Appeal has upheld a Commercial Court judgement that could decide the debate over whether the World Trade Centre (WTC) attack on 11 September 2001 was one or two attacks.

The Court of Appeal ruling could affect other insurance disputes over the definitions of 'event' and 'occurrence'.

The ruling could affect WTC leaseholder Larry Silverstein's battle with 20 insurers over compensation for the destruction of the Twin Towers.

He claims that the attacks by two airplanes represented two separate events, entitling him to about $7 billion (£4.3 billion) in damages.

Insurers led by Swiss Re have held that it was only one event, thus entitling Silverstein to half that amount.