Brain Injury From an Airline Beverage Cart

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Airline companies have been in the news a lot lately due to passenger mistreatment. American Airlines has come into the spotlight this month because they failed to conduct an emergency landing after a passenger was hit in the head with a beverage cart causing brain injury. After an accident, the first thing to do after receiving emergency medical attention is to contact a Ventura County brain injury attorneyJeffrey Herman is dedicated to obtaining the appropriate medical care and compensation for any client suffering from a traumatic brain injury.

The Incident

In April of 2016, the Johnsons boarded a flight from Connecticut to North Carolina. While taking a loose beverage cart flew down the aisle striking Charles Johnson in the head. The cart was fully stocked and is said to weigh 300 pounds. This caused his hat to fall off and a forehead gash. The Injury caused severe bleeding and Johnson lost consciousness. The crew did not know how to treat the injury and instead of landing, the pilot continued to fly for two hours towards the destination. The flight was not equipped with a medical or first aid kit.  Luckily, there was a nurse and several other passengers on board who were able to help Johnson through the flight. Another passenger was able to provide a first aid kit to help the nurse stop the bleeding.

The Aftermath

After the flight, Johnson had his head bandaged by airport EMTs and then transferred to a nearby hospital. At the hospital, Johnson was given a Tetanus shot, stitches, a CT scan and seven Novocain shots. Johnson has been unable to work or even bend over since the incident. He has also suffered a chronic traumatic brain injury, mood swings, anxiety and headaches. Aside from the physical pain, Johnson has also suffered emotional distress and claims that the incident has put a strain on his marriage. His wife Helga Johnson says she was full of anxiety for the entirety of the flight due to the negligence of the crew and their inability to provide proper care.

The Lawsuit

The lawsuit was officially filed with a personal injury attorney on June 15, 2017. It states that several other passengers were also injured because of the unsecured beverage cart. The airline is said to have violated Federal Aviation Administration guidelines by not equipping the aircraft with bandages, gloves or any type of first aid equipment. A stewardess commented to a passenger that the pilot never announced they were taking off. The lawsuit also states that a stewardess failed to protect the Johnsons’ privacy when asking medical history questions. She would very loudly repeat the information where other passengers would be able to hear it. The personal injury attorney claims American Airlines breached its duties by not securing the beverage cart or providing proper medical assistance. The Johnsons are seeking  compensatory damages in the amount of $10 million as well as punitive damages. United Airlines had a similar case in 2015 where a beverage cart fell on a passengers’ leg causing injury to the leg and knee.

The Law Offices of J. Jeffrey Herman has a focus on personal injury cases in other parts of California.

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