Theresa DeMari, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Chicago to Phoenix on January 25, initiated legal action against the airline, claiming negligence for allegedly returning a Boeing aircraft to service despite being aware of “a known dangerous and unsafe condition.”
Theresa DeMaria was aboard the outbound segment of a roundtrip flight from Chicago, Illinois, to Phoenix, Arizona, in January of the previous year.
The aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Approximately four hours post-landing, American Airlines personnel informed DeMaria that the Boeing plane had been “fixed.”
However, mechanics usually require three additional hours to test and verify this claim. Nevertheless, the airline reboarded DeMaria and the other passengers just thirty minutes later.
DeMaria reported overhearing a flight attendant’s uncertainty about whether the aircraft had been repaired.
“After an emergency landing, a plane shouldn’t return to service until the problem is fixed.
Hoping it might be fixed isn’t good enough,” said attorney Mark Lindquist, who represents DeMaria.
During the flight, DeMaria experienced lightheadedness, nausea, and a sensation of pressure in her chest.
Overcome by fatigue, she eventually fell asleep. Upon awakening, she was met with severe pain, a ringing in her ears, a throbbing headache, and difficulty in breathing.
At that moment, she activated the flight attendant call button simultaneously with several other passengers, leading to chaos within the aircraft.
The captain subsequently announced a second emergency landing.
In a state of fear for her life, DeMaria communicated with her children via text, while other passengers exhibited similar levels of distress.
Once the plane landed in Dallas, paramedics entered the cabin. DeMaria attempted to rise but collapsed due to a lack of oxygen.
She was provided with supplemental oxygen, placed in a wheelchair, and subsequently transferred to a stretcher by paramedics, along with other affected passengers.
In their lawsuit, Lindquist and Bartlett contend that American Airlines neglected to ensure the safety of the Boeing aircraft, failed to adequately repair and test the cabin pressurization system following the initial emergency landing, and prioritized profits over passenger safety.
“Our client wants accountability and safer planes,” Lindquist said.
DeMaria, once an avid air traveler, now experiences significant anxiety when flying. She also endures chronic headaches and other ailments related to hypoxia, which is a condition caused by a lack of oxygen.
Her experiences were shared during an episode of the Dr. Phil show, in which Attorney Lindquist also appeared. The episode centered on issues of aviation safety.
DeMaria’s aviation attorneys have represented numerous families of victims of the Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes. They are advocating for 34 passengers affected by the recent Boeing Max 9 door plug failure incident.
