American Airlines Found Liable for $11 Million Over Mid-Flight Stroke Incident

In a recent legal ruling, American Airlines has been mandated to pay over $11 million to a passenger who experienced a stroke during a flight.

This decision came after a jury deliberated for six days at a California US District Court and concluded a two-year litigation.

Jesus Plasencia was traveling with his spouse, Ana Maria Marcela Tavantzis, in November 2021, on American Airlines Flight 68 from Miami to Madrid when the incident occurred.

According to the case files, before the aircraft left the gate, Plasencia experienced a temporary loss of speech and an inability to grasp his phone.

Recognizing the potential signs of a stroke, his wife quickly informed both a flight attendant and the pilot of her concerns.

Contrary to the guidelines set by American Airlines, which include using a designated medical hotline or seeking assistance from onboard medical experts, it is alleged that the pilot dismissed the concerns, light-heartedly interacted with Plasencia, and proceeded with the flight.

During the transatlantic journey, Plasencia was stricken by a stroke.

Upon the aircraft's arrival in Spain, he was rushed to a hospital where he remained critically ill for over three weeks before being flown back to the United States by medical transport.

Plasencia, a retired culinary expert, now faces the challenge of being unable to communicate verbally or through writing, requiring consistent day-to-day support. His wife has assumed the role of his principal caregiver.

The couple maintained that adherence to airline protocols would have allowed for immediate medical intervention in Miami, potentially lessening the severity of the stroke.

The jury attributed negligence to American Airlines under the Montreal Convention regulations due to the oversight in following emergency procedures.

Initially, $13.28 million was awarded in damages, a sum adjusted down by 27.5% after allocating some responsibility to the plaintiffs, which resulted in $9.6 million. With accrued interest, the final settlement reached $11.06 million.

There was no immediate comment from American Airlines regarding the verdict.