Injuries Sustained From Turbulence Results in Montreal Convention Lawsuit
Case Title: Belmar, Antonio v. American Airlines Flight 280
On December 16, 2014, a U.S. Army soldier was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 280 bound for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport from Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, near Seoul. The soldier’s ultimate destination was Louisville, Kentucky, to spend time at home on Christmas leave. Approximately three hours into the flight, when the plane was over Japan, they experienced severe turbulence lasting for over an hour. The turbulence was so severe that the pilots decided to make an emergency landing at Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan. During the flight, our client was seated on an aisle seat on the exit row with his seatbelt fastened. The turbulence was so severe that his seatbelt came undone and, on one of the drastic descends of the airplane, he hit his head on the luggage compartment and ceiling of the aircraft. He ended up landing on the floor between his seat and the wall in front of him. Our client immediately experienced neck and head pain and was taken to the hospital upon landing in Tokyo. They prescribed him pain medication and cleared him to travel home to Kentucky and seek medical treatment there. Once he was in Kentucky, he followed up with several doctors, including specialists but continued to suffer from excruciating back and neck pain. He underwent multiple examinations, tests, and physical therapy sessions to help him heal from the painful injuries he suffered.
A Positive Outcome for Our Client
Slack Davis Sanger represented this soldier under the Montreal Convention, which holds airlines liable for injuries caused on international flights. Ladd Sanger secured a settlement to help pay for this soldier’s past and future medical bills and other damages.
Ladd Sanger is an attorney and a licensed pilot who focuses on aviation accidents, including product liability, product litigation, and representing clients who have been injured as a result of aviation accidents. His experience as a pilot helps him understand the technical aspects of aviation crashes.
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