Chinese professor injured in crash sues Asiana

A Chinese professor who was seriously injured in the Asiana Airlines crash has filed a $5 million lawsuit against the carrier in San Francisco federal court.

Zhengheng Xie, whose lawsuit was filed Monday, is filing under an exemption in an international treaty that limits legal actions by foreigners.

The San Jose Mercury News reports the treaty would have limited Xie’s legal settlement to no more than $135,000 in China, where he is from, or South Korea, where Asiana is based.

But Xie’s son purchased his father’s round-trip ticket in the United States, making it an exception to the treaty. That gives Xie the right to sue Asiana in the United States

The July 6 crash left three passengers dead and 180 injured.