A jury was chosen in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday for the second World Trade Center insurance trial.
A separate jury ruled earlier this year that the two planes that hit the twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001, constituted one event under contract language that affected 13 insurers.
The decision was a blow to trade center leaseholder Larry Silverstein, who argued that he should receive $7 billion, or twice the $3.5 billion insurance policy on the trade center, because the planes, which flew into the towers 16 minutes apart, represented two events.
If Silverstein’s lawyers can convince jurors in the second trial that the attack was two occurrences, he will stand to collect $1.1 billion more from nine insurers involved in this phase. Opening statements are scheduled for Oct. 18.
The jurors in the second trial, 10 women and two men, include several educators, a science writer and a personal trainer.