World Trade Center leaseholder Larry Silverstein suffered a financial blow earlier this year when a federal jury ruled that for insurance purposes, the planes hitting the twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001, constituted one event — not two.
His lawyers were hoping that in the second round of the legal battle, a jury could be convinced otherwise. Jury selection was scheduled to begin this week.
Silverstein argued in the first trial, which ended in May, that he should receive $7 billion, or twice the $3.5 billion insurance policy on the trade center. That trial focused on whether 13 insurers that provided the bulk of the trade center's coverage were bound by a brokers contract.
In the second phase, involving nine insurers, Silverstein stands to collect $1.1 billion more if his lawyers are successful in arguing the attack was two events. Opening statements are scheduled to begin next Monday.
