Thomas Demetrio, the Chicago personal injury lawyer of 69-year old doctor David Dao, has told reporters that they will file a lawsuit as a result of Dao’s injuries following a notorious United Airlines incident. Already, the law firm representing Dao has filed a motion to preserve all the evidence pertaining to the case.
Legally speaking, Dao is allowed up to two years to file a civil suit. However, Demetrio has confirmed that the suit will be filed in the soonest time possible. It will be filed in Cook County Illinois, and the defendants in the case will be UA and the city of Chicago. It was the city’s officers from the Department of Aviation who forcibly removed Dao and his wife from the plane. San Diego airline accident attorneys handle all types of incidents that have occurred on an airline.
How The Injury Case Started
The incident was recorded on video and shared all over the world. Contrary to some reports, it wasn’t a matter of overbooking at all. The plane was full but 4 UA crew members got on at the last minute to get to Louisville.
The airline offered monetary compensation to those who would give up their seats, but none of the passengers volunteered. Dao and his wife, both doctors, were among the ones that the airline randomly picked to get off. The couple agreed, but they changed their minds when they learned that the later flight would keep them from their patients too long.
The Aviation officers were called to pry Dao from his seat when he refused to give it up. According to other passengers, he was not belligerent and he didn’t even raise his voice. He did scream as he was pried from his seat, and videos of the incident showed him unconscious and bleeding from the mouth. According to the passengers, he hit his head on an armrest during the incident.
What the Injuries Were
According to Demetrio, his client lost two front teeth and suffered a broken nose and sinus injuries. He also suffered a concussion.
Following the incident, the three officers from the Chicago Department of Aviation were put on paid leave. The guidelines for the officers were to assess and contain the scene for the police. If there are no imminent threats, their job was to just stay there. In the video, one of the officers was also shown wearing a jacket with the word “police”, and that was banned by officials months earlier.
Shortly after the incident, United Airlines lost a billion dollars in market value as its share prices dropped. Numerous UA customers have vowed never to fly UA again. It didn’t help when the CEO of UA Oscar Munoz defended the security officers in a memo by alleging that Dao was belligerent.
Duty of Care of the Airline
According to Demetrio, UA had a “duty of care” to their passengers, and they failed. Every customer has the right to expect civilized treatment. If you’ve been injured by employees of a service you’ve availed, you should consult a personal injury lawyer to see what legal options you have. You may be able to receive compensatory damages for your injuries and medical expenses.