The family of a quadriplegic man who was injured while exiting an airplane is set to receive a $30 million settlement from United Airlines, the Atlanta Black Star reported.
The incident took place in February, 2019, and involved Nathaniel Foster Jr., 26, who uses a wheelchair, ventilator, and tracheal tube.
From ABS:
The family accused a supervisor assisting Foster of “aggressively” pushing him while getting off the plane, according to the report. It resulted in his body jerking forward, then back, and eventually him whispering, “I can’t breathe.”
It prompted his mother to get help, but she said an airline gate agent “giggled” and said, “we got this” when a health professional offered a helping hand, per the outlet. The family alleged that Foster had a cardiac arrest, leading him to suffer from major brain damage.
According to CBS News, citing the lawsuit, the situation caused Foster to not be able to eat solid foods or speak and cut years from his life expectancy from 39 to 31.5.
Reports say the settlement was reached Tuesday after only one day of trial. United Airlines told Reuters: “We are pleased to share that this matter has settled.”
Read the full story over at the Atlanta Black Star.
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