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accident at airport
Question:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> First, I see no call for your crack about winning the lottery. Second, > how much would YOU sue for if someone paid to wheel your chair did it > negligently and caused you to incur a crushed rib and a permanently > damaged nerve? > Medical costs seem good enough to me, not to mention that punitive > damages are something unheard of, and quite rightly in my opinion, in > most European courts. > As I see it, the airline wants to settle out of court because : > 1) It reduces its exposure to bad publicity. > 2) It’s way faster and a lot cheaper than the courts. > I don’t think going to court in this case would get more money into the > passenger’s pocket. But it will certainly avoid a lenghty judicial > process (civil matters such as these can take years simply because the > courts have more pressing matters to attend to) and fees.
Oh, I don’t know, Miguel. She might be able to sue for millions. Only her lawyer can advise her on that. But you are exactly right about the difference in European courts. She would get, as nearly as possible, real expenses, not "pain and suffering" and "punitive damages". American lawyers love this sort of litigation because they have a big visible company over the barrel, and , the lawyers can take 33-40% of any settlement off the top. Bottom feeders. — – Larry Smith Sr Remove NOSPAM for email replies
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <snip> > First, I see no call for your crack about winning the lottery. Second, > how much would YOU sue for if someone paid to wheel your chair did it > negligently and caused you to incur a crushed rib and a permanently > damaged nerve? > Are airlines exempt from responsibility for how they carry out their > tasks, in your opinion? >Well, Ellen, it wasn’t a "crack". Many <Americans in particular> are >so happy when they are involved in an accident so they can sue. It is >a much better payoff than buying lottery tickets, actually.
And the relevance of ‘many <Americans in particular>’??? Neither the injured party nor the airline is American. Crack #2. >And I hear some of that money lust in the lady’s post.
Maybe you should get a hearing test. Yes, that was a crack. HOW did you hear this ‘money lust’? >I would want reimbursement for reasonable and real damages. If my rib >heals okay, they they should pay for the doctor’s fees, and possibly >loss of work. >Accidents happen. And, my point was that it could have happened with >anyone guiding the wheelchair.
No, not everyone would wheel a wheelchair face-front down a steep incline. And certainly no one who was wheeling a wheelchair as part of what they were paid to do, at least no one who had half a brain, a modicum of job training, and/or a shred of conscientiousness. >The degree of real neglect or deliberate >mischief should be litigated.
Ah, so you believe in litigation? >And what would you sue for?
I would see some top doctors — an orthopedist and a neurosurgeon at least — and an experienced lawyer.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >: With all due respect to your fragile physical condition, you should have >: initially bought business or first class tickets before you made your >: travel planes. Your knee was already in bad shape before this >: unfortunate accident and perching in a couch seat is not going to help >With all due respect, I think you are out of line. Just because one has a >disability (which is most likely out of his/her control) they should not >have to purchase a business or FC ticket. Turn the picture around, and >suppose you were in "fragile physical condition", were on a limited >income, and needed to travel? What would you do — don’t tell me you’d >buy a business class or a first class ticket because it is most likely >*economically unrealistic*. >You should be *greatful* that you are not in a "fragile physical >condition" as many people are and you some day most likely will be in >"fragile physical condition" yourself .. but from the tone of your message >you don’t seem to be greatful for anything — ignorant perhaps, but thats >about it. >: case here but still in light of your prior condition you perhaps should >: have booked your flight first or business class class from the start. >So everyone with a disability should have to book in FC or business class? >GMAFB. >: Again, without trying to sound like a hard ass, you should have booked >: your flight first class if you wanted to have individual attention. On a >: typical wide body aircraft, there might be 300+ travelers in the back of >: the "bus." It is not really possible with 50 travelers per flight >I’m sorry but you’re making an ass out of yourself. No further comment >as your ignorance speaks for itself. >Take a few minutes to be greatful for what you have & think about it — >think about it hard — take a day or two and think about it — how >greatful you are to be able to walk, talk, have the money to fly BC/FC — >because some day you might not be able to walk, some day you might not be >able to talk – some day you might not have much money — just think about >it….
Hear, hear! But the icing on the cake is that even people in super-FC would still have to be wheeled down a ramp… The ticket class is *totally irrelevant* — it’s quite possible, in fact, that the employee doing the wheeling had no idea what class her ticket was. (That was certainly the case when I once had to use an airline wheelchair.) . .
Response:
Don’t listen to the morons. Get as much as you can you deserve to get it and they deserve to pay it, along with punitive damages for their gross negligence. Get a GOOD TOUGH LAWYER and get them for all their worth. GOOD LUCK!
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->> I am the one being thrown out of a wheelchair. >> Thanks for all postings in the rec.travel.air and all the private ones. >> Remarkable how people affiliated with airlines one way or another reads >> my posting differently from others. >> There is no doubt that the airline employee caused the accident to >> happen because of gross neglect. >> It is also shining clear that I will be given economical compensation. >> The problem is simple – how much should I ask for. That is where there >> are no rules as I see it. >> here are a lot of conventions ruling claims but to fins any specific sum >> mnetioned is hard. >> So, if anyone could suggest something please do. The airline wants to >> settle out of court. Quite understandable as this matter is an >> embarrasment to them. >What are your actual financial damages? That might be a starting place. >If your daughter had lost control of your wheelchair and dumped you, how >much would you sue her for? >If you had had to wheel yourself down the ramp, whom would you take to >court. >I think you are due some damages, and certainly an apology, but I don’t >feel that having an accident should be as profitable as winning the >lottery. > First, I see no call for your crack about winning the lottery. Second, > how much would YOU sue for if someone paid to wheel your chair did it > negligently and caused you to incur a crushed rib and a permanently > damaged nerve? > Are airlines exempt from responsibility for how they carry out their > tasks, in your opinion?
Well, Ellen, it wasn’t a "crack". Many <Americans in particular> are so happy when they are involved in an accident so they can sue. It is a much better payoff than buying lottery tickets, actually. And I hear some of that money lust in the lady’s post. I would want reimbursement for reasonable and real damages. If my rib heals okay, they they should pay for the doctor’s fees, and possibly loss of work. Accidents happen. And, my point was that it could have happened with anyone guiding the wheelchair. The degree of real neglect or deliberate mischief should be litigated. And what would you sue for? — – Larry Smith Sr Remove NOSPAM for email replies
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->First, I see no call for your crack about winning the lottery. Second, >how much would YOU sue for if someone paid to wheel your chair did it >negligently and caused you to incur a crushed rib and a permanently >damaged nerve? >Are airlines exempt from responsibility for how they carry out their >tasks, in your opinion? >If the courts would award actual (or reasonable compensatory) damages to the >victims and do something constructive with the rest, I would have no problem >with people suing for the moon. It’s definitely valuable to provide a >financial incentive for companies to be safe and responsible. >The mechanism gets skewed when the first question someone asks after an >injury is "How much can I get?". It encourages people to exaggerate their >injuries and contributes to nightmarish insurance costs – which get >transferred to the rest of us.
I think Helena’s post was misread. She was *seriously* injured as a result of the airline’s incompetence/negligence, and it was compounded by their callous mishandling of it after the incident occurred. They are now trying to prevent it from going to court — where they know they’d take a beating — and are offering a sum of money (an absurb pittance, btw, as I learned via email). It is only because Helena, like most Swedes, is rather naive about these things that she ever saw fit to ask us what she should accept. She gave no indication whatsoever in the posts I’ve seen of intending to sue — much less ’suing for the moon’ — or of winning a lottery out of it. In fact, I think the appropriate answer was the one given by several people — get an experienced lawyer. Good grief, any one of us can wind up in an airline wheelchair — it certainly happened to me once when my back went out on a domestic flight. And being wheeled head-first down a steep incline can result in worse than a crushed rib and damaged nerve — if the chair lands on your head, you could wind up with a crushed skull. I can’t believe the nonchalance with which this incident has been received here.
Response:
: With all due respect to your fragile physical condition, you should have : initially bought business or first class tickets before you made your : travel planes. Your knee was already in bad shape before this : unfortunate accident and perching in a couch seat is not going to help With all due respect, I think you are out of line. Just because one has a disability (which is most likely out of his/her control) they should not have to purchase a business or FC ticket. Turn the picture around, and suppose you were in "fragile physical condition", were on a limited income, and needed to travel? What would you do — don’t tell me you’d buy a business class or a first class ticket because it is most likely *economically unrealistic*. You should be *greatful* that you are not in a "fragile physical condition" as many people are and you some day most likely will be in "fragile physical condition" yourself .. but from the tone of your message you don’t seem to be greatful for anything — ignorant perhaps, but thats about it. : case here but still in light of your prior condition you perhaps should : have booked your flight first or business class class from the start. So everyone with a disability should have to book in FC or business class? GMAFB. : Again, without trying to sound like a hard ass, you should have booked : your flight first class if you wanted to have individual attention. On a : typical wide body aircraft, there might be 300+ travelers in the back of : the "bus." It is not really possible with 50 travelers per flight I’m sorry but you’re making an ass out of yourself. No further comment as your ignorance speaks for itself. Take a few minutes to be greatful for what you have & think about it — think about it hard — take a day or two and think about it — how greatful you are to be able to walk, talk, have the money to fly BC/FC — because some day you might not be able to walk, some day you might not be able to talk – some day you might not have much money — just think about it…. Steve
Response:
>I agree with you Ellen. The message looked like it was coming directly from >American, but the person couldn’t even spell simple works like *plans* or >*coach*.
Well, I’ve forwarded it to AA — employee or not, they might want to know what sort of things their trademark is being attached to.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >: She *also* complained of not having been given an upgrade to C on the >: return leg of her trip and on that, and that alone, I agree with the >: previous post that she had no particular reason to expect an upgrade. If >: airlines should start giving upgrades to all passengers with a doctor’s >: certificate, you can be sure there would be more seats in C than in Y. >Considering the airline, an agent of the airline, or an airport employee >caused the injury I honestly believe the airline should of at least moved >her up to C. Granted airlines can’t give upgrades to all pax with a >doctor’s certificate, but the accident being fault of the airline/airport >the least they could of done was moved her up **only if** seating was >available. It would of been a different story if she went to the counter >with a doctors certificate if it was from an auto accident, or something >else — but it appears it was the airline/airport employee that was >negligent thus causing the accident. >There is a possibility they would of if a seat was available, but there >may of been no seats thus no upgrade.
I think some people in this group (not you!) are obsessed with upgrades. Helena was *wheeled incorrectly* and, as a direct result, suffered a *crushed rib and damaged nerve*. The lack of an upgrade (with a *doctor’s certificate*, btw) was merely one of the many pieces of evidence she presented for the airline’s total lack of any sense of responsibility, IMO.
Response:
: She *also* complained of not having been given an upgrade to C on the : return leg of her trip and on that, and that alone, I agree with the : previous post that she had no particular reason to expect an upgrade. If : airlines should start giving upgrades to all passengers with a doctor’s : certificate, you can be sure there would be more seats in C than in Y. Considering the airline, an agent of the airline, or an airport employee caused the injury I honestly believe the airline should of at least moved her up to C. Granted airlines can’t give upgrades to all pax with a doctor’s certificate, but the accident being fault of the airline/airport the least they could of done was moved her up **only if** seating was available. It would of been a different story if she went to the counter with a doctors certificate if it was from an auto accident, or something else — but it appears it was the airline/airport employee that was negligent thus causing the accident. There is a possibility they would of if a seat was available, but there may of been no seats thus no upgrade. Regards, Steve
Response:
: > First, I see no call for your crack about winning the lottery. Second, : > how much would YOU sue for if someone paid to wheel your chair did it : > negligently and caused you to incur a crushed rib and a permanently : > damaged nerve? : Medical costs seem good enough to me, not to mention that punitive : damages are something unheard of, and quite rightly in my opinion, in : most European courts. WOAH, medical costs just doesn’t cut it; If someone is permanantly injured due to ones negligence, they deserve compensation above any beyond just medical costs. Punitive damages are not damages awarded for pain and suffering, but are damages awarded to punish the defendant because they did something wrong *purposely*. If the lady was pushed out of her wheelchair because the attendent wanted to cause harm to her, THEN punitive damages would come into play — but it appears to be just a straight forward case of negligence in which she should be compensated for medical costs, pain & suffering, and for the loss of the nerve (or permanently injured nerve). She will have to live with this for the rest of her life, and medical costs just doesn’t cut it. If someone was negligent and caused YOU to have a significant injury that will cause you problems for the rest of YOUR LIFE, don’t you think you’d be entitled to a bit more than just medical costs? I’m not talking about winning the big lotto jackpot, but some kind of compensation is definately in order as she will have to live with this for the rest of her life. Regards, Steve
Response:
: What are your actual financial damages? That might be a starting place. I’d agree that would be an excellent starting point in putting a claim together. : If your daughter had lost control of your wheelchair and dumped you, how : much would you sue her for? From the original post, it sounded as if there was negligence on behalf of an airline (airport) employee. I would suspect a daughter or a family member would take better care. : If you had had to wheel yourself down the ramp, whom would you take to : court. Since this happened overseas, the question arises did someone have a duty of care to wheel her down the ramp; Here in the states there are laws regulating aspects of society including transportation and public facilities (namely the ADA) which I believe would require someone to assist her. : I think you are due some damages, and certainly an apology, but I don’t : feel that having an accident should be as profitable as winning the : lottery. I couldn’t agree with you more there; well said. Steve
Response:
> You really take the cake. The woman fell out of her wheelchair ON THE > GROUND, because it was being wheeled wrong! What would have been the > difference if she had a FC or BC ticket? Do they bother to navigate > wheelchairs correctly only for the higher price pax???
She *also* complained of not having been given an upgrade to C on the return leg of her trip and on that, and that alone, I agree with the previous post that she had no particular reason to expect an upgrade. If airlines should start giving upgrades to all passengers with a doctor’s certificate, you can be sure there would be more seats in C than in Y. This is in such cases that signing up with one of those worldwide assistance groups is useful, because the provider would have bought business class ticket for its customer.
Response:
> First, I see no call for your crack about winning the lottery. Second, > how much would YOU sue for if someone paid to wheel your chair did it > negligently and caused you to incur a crushed rib and a permanently > damaged nerve?
Medical costs seem good enough to me, not to mention that punitive damages are something unheard of, and quite rightly in my opinion, in most European courts. As I see it, the airline wants to settle out of court because : 1) It reduces its exposure to bad publicity. 2) It’s way faster and a lot cheaper than the courts. I don’t think going to court in this case would get more money into the passenger’s pocket. But it will certainly avoid a lenghty judicial process (civil matters such as these can take years simply because the courts have more pressing matters to attend to) and fees.
Response:
I agree with you Ellen. The message looked like it was coming directly from American, but the person couldn’t even spell simple works like *plans* or *coach*. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > <snip> >With all due respect to your fragile physical condition, you should have >initially bought business or first class tickets before you made your >travel planes. Your knee was already in bad shape before this >unfortunate accident and perching in a couch seat is not going to help >matters unless you could get a bulkhead seat that is not in an emergency >exit row since your knee condition would disqualify you from the exit >row seating criteria. Seat upgrades are rewards for frequent flyers and >unfortunately many people have and are trying to circumvent that >requirement by complaining about service or even showing doctors notes >in order to get out of paying for an upgrade. I’m sure that was not the >case here but still in light of your prior condition you perhaps should >have booked your flight first or business class class from the start. > You really take the cake. The woman fell out of her wheelchair ON THE > GROUND, because it was being wheeled wrong! What would have been the > difference if she had a FC or BC ticket? Do they bother to navigate > wheelchairs correctly only for the higher price pax??? > Sheesh. > Are you an AA employee?
Response:
> In transfer in a wheelchair driven by an airline employee in an airport > I was injured when the wheelchair was turned over due to faulty > behaviour on behalf of the airline employee. I had asked for assistance > because of problem walking long distances (prosthetic knee). The > employee drove the wheelchair up a slight slope from the tarmac to the > building front first instead of in reverse( another employee said so). > I was quite badly injured but had to insist myself on being taken to a > doctor. It took four hours until I was seen by a doctor. And then I was > told I had to pay myself but I did not do that. This happened on the > national carrier in a country in Asia that tries to give the impression > they are very forward. I was not given an upgrade for my flight back > home to Europe although I had a doctors certficate showing the need for > a better seat.
With all due respect to your fragile physical condition, you should have initially bought business or first class tickets before you made your travel planes. Your knee was already in bad shape before this unfortunate accident and perching in a couch seat is not going to help matters unless you could get a bulkhead seat that is not in an emergency exit row since your knee condition would disqualify you from the exit row seating criteria. Seat upgrades are rewards for frequent flyers and unfortunately many people have and are trying to circumvent that requirement by complaining about service or even showing doctors notes in order to get out of paying for an upgrade. I’m sure that was not the case here but still in light of your prior condition you perhaps should have booked your flight first or business class class from the start. > Not only did I get physical > injuries but I was also treated with neglect and as an inferior probably > because I travelled in economy class using a wheelchair.
Again, without trying to sound like a hard ass, you should have booked your flight first class if you wanted to have individual attention. On a typical wide body aircraft, there might be 300+ travelers in the back of the "bus." It is not really possible with 50 travelers per flight attendant on average [maybe a higher ratio overseas] to cater to "YOU" specifically. I’m sure you were fed and offered drinks and I dare say this was done with a smile. If you were expecting somewhat more than that experiance, then bust out the wallet and pay for an upgrade like the rest of us do before you begin your next trip. I don’t mean to sound harsh but thats reality my friend. The airlines treatment of your case off the plane could have been handled much better and I have no disagreement with you on that. SR
Response:
<snip> >With all due respect to your fragile physical condition, you should have >initially bought business or first class tickets before you made your >travel planes. Your knee was already in bad shape before this >unfortunate accident and perching in a couch seat is not going to help >matters unless you could get a bulkhead seat that is not in an emergency >exit row since your knee condition would disqualify you from the exit >row seating criteria. Seat upgrades are rewards for frequent flyers and >unfortunately many people have and are trying to circumvent that >requirement by complaining about service or even showing doctors notes >in order to get out of paying for an upgrade. I’m sure that was not the >case here but still in light of your prior condition you perhaps should >have booked your flight first or business class class from the start.
You really take the cake. The woman fell out of her wheelchair ON THE GROUND, because it was being wheeled wrong! What would have been the difference if she had a FC or BC ticket? Do they bother to navigate wheelchairs correctly only for the higher price pax??? Sheesh. Are you an AA employee?
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> In transfer in a wheelchair driven by an airline employee in an airport > I was injured when the wheelchair was turned over due to faulty > behaviour on behalf of the airline employee. I had asked for assistance > because of problem walking long distances (prosthetic knee). The > employee drove the wheelchair up a slight slope from the tarmac to the > building front first instead of in reverse( another employee said so). > I was quite badly injured but had to insist myself on being taken to a > doctor. It took four hours until I was seen by a doctor. [...] > Again, without trying to sound like a hard ass, you should have booked > your flight first class if you wanted to have individual attention. On a > typical wide body aircraft, there might be 300+ travelers in the back of > the "bus." It is not really possible with 50 travelers per flight > attendant on average [maybe a higher ratio overseas] to cater to "YOU" > specifically. I’m sure you were fed and offered drinks and I dare say > this was done with a smile. If you were expecting somewhat more than > that experiance, then bust out the wallet and pay for an upgrade like > the rest of us do before you begin your next trip. I don’t mean to sound > harsh but thats reality my friend. The airlines treatment of your case > off the plane could have been handled much better and I have no > disagreement with you on that. > SR
No, you don’t sound like a hard ass, only like a AA service ‘droid so overworked that you are blurting out a mixture of company policies and an 90’s FA’s frustrations instead of paying attention to Ms. Hesselmark’s grievances. Obviously, you have given her posting only the most cursory reading. Ms. Hesselmark stated that she requested an upgrade due to medical reasons after and because of the significant injury she incurred through the negligence of an airline employee. I doubt there is an `established procedure’ for a case like this. If I were in Ms. Hesselmark’s situation I would be very hesitant to settle this matter without consulting an attorney or at the very least a consumers’ advocacy group. `SR’, your email address as well as the `Organization: American Airlines’ header line in your post may lead readers to believe you are representing opinions of this airline. Is this so? J. Stockburger Not speaking for USC, not qualified to give legal advice 
— Juergen Stockburger (213) 740-9337 phone USC Chem. Dept., SSC 717 (213) 740-8348 fax
Response:
>First, I see no call for your crack about winning the lottery. Second, >how much would YOU sue for if someone paid to wheel your chair did it >negligently and caused you to incur a crushed rib and a permanently >damaged nerve? >Are airlines exempt from responsibility for how they carry out their >tasks, in your opinion?
If the courts would award actual (or reasonable compensatory) damages to the victims and do something constructive with the rest, I would have no problem with people suing for the moon. It’s definitely valuable to provide a financial incentive for companies to be safe and responsible. The mechanism gets skewed when the first question someone asks after an injury is "How much can I get?". It encourages people to exaggerate their injuries and contributes to nightmarish insurance costs – which get transferred to the rest of us. miguel
Response:
>What are your actual financial damages? That might be a starting place. >If your daughter had lost control of your wheelchair and dumped you, how >much would you sue her for? >If you had had to wheel yourself down the ramp, whom would you take to >court. >I think you are due some damages, and certainly an apology, but I don’t >feel that having an accident should be as profitable as winning the >lottery.
I couldn’t possibly have said it better. miguel
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am the one being thrown out of a wheelchair. > Thanks for all postings in the rec.travel.air and all the private ones. > Remarkable how people affiliated with airlines one way or another reads > my posting differently from others. > There is no doubt that the airline employee caused the accident to > happen because of gross neglect. > It is also shining clear that I will be given economical compensation. > The problem is simple – how much should I ask for. That is where there > are no rules as I see it. > here are a lot of conventions ruling claims but to fins any specific sum > mnetioned is hard. > So, if anyone could suggest something please do. The airline wants to > settle out of court. Quite understandable as this matter is an > embarrasment to them. >What are your actual financial damages? That might be a starting place. >If your daughter had lost control of your wheelchair and dumped you, how >much would you sue her for? >If you had had to wheel yourself down the ramp, whom would you take to >court. >I think you are due some damages, and certainly an apology, but I don’t >feel that having an accident should be as profitable as winning the >lottery.
First, I see no call for your crack about winning the lottery. Second, how much would YOU sue for if someone paid to wheel your chair did it negligently and caused you to incur a crushed rib and a permanently damaged nerve? Are airlines exempt from responsibility for how they carry out their tasks, in your opinion?
Response:
I am the one being thrown out of a wheelchair. Thanks for all postings in the rec.travel.air and all the private ones. Remarkable how people affiliated with airlines one way or another reads my posting differently from others. There is no doubt that the airline employee caused the accident to happen because of gross neglect. It is also shining clear that I will be given economical compensation. The problem is simple – how much should I ask for. That is where there are no rules as I see it. here are a lot of conventions ruling claims but to fins any specific sum mnetioned is hard. So, if anyone could suggest something please do. The airline wants to settle out of court. Quite understandable as this matter is an embarrasment to them.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I am the one being thrown out of a wheelchair. > Thanks for all postings in the rec.travel.air and all the private ones. > Remarkable how people affiliated with airlines one way or another reads > my posting differently from others. > There is no doubt that the airline employee caused the accident to > happen because of gross neglect. > It is also shining clear that I will be given economical compensation. > The problem is simple – how much should I ask for. That is where there > are no rules as I see it. > here are a lot of conventions ruling claims but to fins any specific sum > mnetioned is hard. > So, if anyone could suggest something please do. The airline wants to > settle out of court. Quite understandable as this matter is an > embarrasment to them.
What are your actual financial damages? That might be a starting place. If your daughter had lost control of your wheelchair and dumped you, how much would you sue her for? If you had had to wheel yourself down the ramp, whom would you take to court. I think you are due some damages, and certainly an apology, but I don’t feel that having an accident should be as profitable as winning the lottery. — – Larry Smith Sr Remove NOSPAM for email replies
Response:
In transfer in a wheelchair driven by an airline employee in an airport I was injured when the wheelchair was turned over due to faulty behaviour on behalf of the airline employee. I had asked for assistance because of problem walking long distances (prosthetic knee). The employee drove the wheelchair up a slight slope from the tarmac to the building front first instead of in reverse( another employee said so). I was quite badly injured but had to insist myself on being taken to a doctor. It took four hours until I was seen by a doctor. And then I was told I had to pay myself but I did not do that. This happened on the national carrier in a country in Asia that tries to give the impression they are very forward. I was not given an upgrade for my flight back home to Europe although I had a doctors certficate showing the need for a better seat. I had had to spend a night in hospital in the town of the accident and then another 4 days after coming home. I lost one week of vaccation time and when wanting to travel back home earlier because of my injuries the airline "could not" provide a seat until after 4 days. The flight back to Europe was delayed more than 12 hours and I missed my connection to my homecountry. But when I asked to a doctor in London because of severe pain I was told that was not possible. I got a damage to the nerve that flexes the foot – the pereneus nerve – a crashed rib in my back and very severe pain for many weeks. The nerve might never heal or it might, but after some 1-2 years. So far the airline in question has not compensated me at all. I feel very badly treated and abused but I do not know where to turn for advice as for what kind of compensation to ask for. Not only did I get physical injuries but I was also treated with neglect and as an inferior probably because I travelled in economy class using a wheelchair. The airline does not want me to engage a lawyer – "it would take such a long time". "Just name how much you want". Maybe ** and a figure equivalent to some USD 4-500 was mentioned. What is the procedure in cases like this? Thanks for any help.
Response:
: In transfer in a wheelchair driven by an airline employee in an airport : I was injured when the wheelchair was turned over due to faulty <deleted> It would depend on what country the incident happened in, where in europe you were going, etc — laws vary from country to country when it comes to negligence. If this happened to you in the USA, I’d bet the personal injury attorneys would come banging on your door — but I’d check with a local attorney (where you reside in Europe) and get a few opinions. Sounds to me like the airline was negligent, or the company contracted to provide services was. Find out who the carriers insurance company is and put in a claim with the assistance of an attorney or someone familiar with such claims – and be sure to keep original copies of all documentation you have (if there was an incident report, etc). If the insurance company should contact you, conduct all business in writing and do not engage in any "recorded" telephone statements. My .02cents, and just that, but get a local professional involved. Steve