Airline to pay $11 million for ignoring stroke passenger's medical emergency
A jury in California has ordered American Airlines to pay $11.06 million to Jesus Plasencia, who suffered a stroke on a Miami-to-Madrid flight back in November 2021.
Despite his wife alerting the crew as he lost speech and movement at the gate, the pilot took off without medical help or following emergency protocols.
Plasencia's condition got worse mid-flight and he ended up hospitalized in Spain for weeks.
Case highlights importance of following protocol during medical emergencies
After a six-day trial, the jury found American Airlines responsible under international airline rules for not acting on clear medical warnings that could have changed the outcome.
The original award was $13.28 million but was reduced due to partial responsibility assigned to the plaintiffs; with interest, it totaled $11.06 million.
This case puts a spotlight on how airlines handle medical emergencies and why following protocol really matters for passenger safety.