CHICAGO- The flight attendant of United Airlines (UA), Darlene Fricchione, sued Airbus for an incident for cabin air that took place on board the United Flight UA2680 at the Denver International Airport (Den). It claims that exposure to contaminated air caused severe and permanent health effects.
According to Pyok, the complaint claims that Airbus' design of the A319 aircraft had led to a toxic air event. Fricione calls for damages of $ 30 million, citing negligence and failure to warn known risks.
United flight attendant 30 million US dollar lawsuit
On April 11, 2023, Darlene Fricchione, a flight attendant of the United Airlines (UA), worked from Laguardia (LGA) Airport to Denver International Airport (den).
After landing, when the plane was parked at the gate, the captain activated the auxiliary power unit (APU) to deliver the cabin air conditioning system.
Fricchione contaminated air with a chemical smell was exposed within seconds, causing immediate gag, suffocation and burning sensations in your eyes and skin.
The 23-page legal complaint describes how Fricchione watered water over itself and gurgelt to relieve the symptoms, and remained on the plane until all passengers exhausted.
Rescue workers found increased blood pressure and carbon monoxide levels in fricchione and a colleague.
In a clinic, an X -ray recording revealed a “cloud” on the lungs and received oxygen therapy. After returning to Laguardia, her condition deteriorated with increased skin rashes, fainting, high blood pressure and an increased number of white blood cells, which required hospital stay.
Fricchione, previously healthy, now suffers from persistent headaches, nosebleeds (until recently), hypersensitivity of the neck and potential chemical exposure, which is determined by medical specialists.
Plague
The lawsuit was submitted before a district court in Virginia, in which the airbus of the airline was accused in the aircraft design and flight crews were not warned or properly trained, about the risks of contaminated air.
The claim also refers to a broader pattern: Airbus aircraft supposedly have more such incidents compared to other manufacturers due to inherent designs at vulnerabilities.
Darlene's legal team claims that Airbus has long been aware of the risks, but has not implemented any security measures.
Proposed solutions such as chemical sensors in air conditioning or greater filtration still have to be accepted, even if scientific and medical evidence grow for the dangers.
Flight attendants and passengers have reported “Fume events” or “odor events” for years, although terminology is different.
Activists describe them as poisonous incidents, while manufacturers often play them down as mere smells.
Regardless of the name, the effects of slight symptoms to serious, life -changing health problems can range.
Continuous recovery
After the incident, Darlene was hospitalized with high blood pressure and an increased number of white blood cells.
She continues to suffer from chronic symptoms. Specialists, including pulmonologists and cardiologists, have these health problems of chemical exposure.
She is currently subjecting speech therapy to fix the neck damage comparable to chemical burns.
The lawsuit claims that Airbus should have known about the increased risk of using the APU on the ground, and could not redesign or improve the filtration to prevent such events.
Darlene is looking for $ 30 million in a replacement of punishment and quotes long-term physical, emotional and professional damage.
Despite the inquiries, neither Airbus nor United Airlines (UA) made comments on this matter.
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