Reuters reports the settlement agreement came after the first day of the federal court trial.

 

$30 Million Settlement Comes After Flight Attendants Allegedly Botched Deplaning

The complaint came from an incident in February 2019, when Nathanel Foster, Jr. was traveling with his family to a funeral in Louisiana. Foster requires the use of a wheelchair, ventilator, and tracheal tube.

 

According to the Foster family, a ramp supervisor helping to remove Nathanel from the flight allegedly “aggressively” and “forcefully” pushed him, which may have led to injury. Foster’s mother says she heard him say “I can’t breathe,” while a flight attendant dismissed a surgeon offering to help.

 

The family claims Foster went into cardiac arrest, requiring emergency attention. Their doctors say that Foster now has “significant” brain damage and has lost nearly eight years of life expectancy after the incident. Further, he now cannot speak or eat solid food.

 

In a statement, United said that their top priority “is to provide a safe journey for all our customers, especially those who require additional assistance or the use of a wheelchair.”

 

The Foster family, who will pay half of the settlement to covering lawyers and other costs, told the court that the settlement is “fair and reasonable,” but the agreement will still require approval from the judge.

 

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Source: frugal travel guy