America’s airlines are not having a good year so far. A negligence lawsuit has been filed against American Airlines Group Inc after a plane “flew to its destination rather than make an emergency landing after a runaway beverage cart struck a passenger’s head during takeoff.” Unfortunately for the passenger, Charles Johnson, the injury left him with a “severe brain injury,” which is why Johnson and his wife are suing the airline for “at least $10 million in damages” over what they’re calling “gross negligence” and “reckless disregard” for their well-being, according to a complaint filed in the federal court in White Plains, New York.
America’s airlines are not having a good year so far. A negligence lawsuit has been filed against American Airlines Group Inc after a plane “flew to its destination rather than make an emergency landing after a runaway beverage cart struck a passenger’s head during takeoff.” Unfortunately for the passenger, Charles Johnson, the injury left him with a “severe brain injury,” which is why Johnson and his wife are suing the airline for “at least $10 million in damages” over what they’re calling “gross negligence” and “reckless disregard” for their well-being, according to a complaint filed in the federal court in White Plains, New York.
But what happened exactly? How did the cart get loose in the first place? Well, according to the complaint, “an unmoored, fully stocked, 300-pound beverage cart struck Charles Johnson in the head after it flew down the aisle on Flight 1941 to Charlotte, North Carolina from Hartford, Connecticut on April 28, 2016.” The impact, according to Johnson, knocked his hat off his head and left a sizable gash on his forehead, “severe bleeding, and a loss of consciousness.” One might think that such an injury would prompt the flight crew to make an emergency landing. Think again. Instead of landing so Johnson could receive proper medical treatment, the flight crew continued on course and flew more than two hours to Charlotte while a “nurse and other passengers cared for Johnson.”
As a result of his injury, Johnson claims that he now suffers from “chronic traumatic brain injury and post-concussive syndrome,” along with headaches, mood swings, and anxiety. Additionally, he has been unable to report to work, can no longer bend down, and his relationship with his wife has become strained as a result of everything.
This latest lawsuit is only one of countless others that have been filed against major airlines this year. Many are familiar with complaints against American Airlines, United Airlines, and others for how they have treated passengers in recent months, especially the incident in April where United Airlines passenger David Dao was “dragged from his seat to make way for a crew member.” Now, with this latest incident of an airline displaying a complete and total disregard for a passenger’s life, it really gets you wondering if air travel is the best idea at the moment.
When contacted for comments on the matter, both the Johnson’s lawyer and American Airlines, the largest carrier in the United States, “did not immediately respond.”
Sources:
American Air passenger says runaway beverage cart caused brain injury
Runaway beverage cart on American Airlines flight gave me brain damage: lawsuit
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