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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Posts
    1

    Default Fall Injury After an Airline Failed to Provide Requested Wheelchair Assistance

    My question involves an injury that occurred in the state of: NY, but I reside in NC
    My letter to them
    I travelled with Delta October 2013 when we booked flights, and requested a wheelchair at every leg of the trip. When I arrived at JFK, there was no wheelchair or anyone in sight to assist me. Being pressed for time, I proceeded to the shuttle bus. As I stepped up onto the bus I fell backwards off of the bus bruising my wrist, elbow, ankle, and right shin. the staff then immediately came to me, pulled up a ramp so I could proceed back onto the shuttle. They then found me a wheelchair, offered me a $50.00 voucher and a lunch voucher. After all of this, I was still NOT offered a wheelchair at any of the remaining legs of my trip. The first five days of my cruise was pure misery due to all of the pain I was in. About a week upon returning home, a lump formed on my injured right shin. I went to the hospital where they removed multiple blood clots. I was also put on multiple doses of antibiotics and pain medicines. It has been a little over a year now. I am left with a horrible scar and no feeling around that part of the injury.

    Their response to me:
    We let you down on this trip and we're sorry. To show you how much we appreciate your business as a valued customer, we're offering you a gift. You may make your selection by April 17, 2015. $100.00 amazon card.
    and another response from them:
    Thanks for letting me know that you didn't get the wheelchair assistance you had requested, and that you fell down in JFK on your departure. Travel can certainly be challenging and it must have been very difficult when you didn't get the help you expected. I looked over your flight reservation, which did show that a wheelchair was needed. It was our responsibility to provide assistance to, from, and between gates and with steps. This usually indicates a need for wheelchair assistance to and from the door of the aircraft. Generally, passengers with certain accessibility needs will be deplaned last. This allows our attendants time and space to safely maneuver wheelchairs or other assistive devices used by the passenger. For this reason, wheelchairs may not be immediately available at the door of the aircraft. In this case, it sounds like you were in a bit of a rush, and so you went on your own to the next gate. For future reference, it's very helpful for our passengers to let us know they need help, since this allows our gate agent to make sure a wheelchair attendant is on the way. I also saw the pictures you sent - it must have been awful when you fell down when trying to board the shuttle. Your reservation is documented that a wheelchair was called for at that point and that you declined medical attention. I understand how upsetting this must have been, especially since the pain continued during your cruise. It sounds like this was a long recuperation and that you don't have happy memories of what should have been a wonderful vacation, and I'm so very sorry. Be assured your comments have been forwarded to our Airport Customer Service leadership team; we'll use your feedback to help us improve our service.

    Which leads me to ask pursue or not pursue. I do appreciate a response from them, however $100.00 amazon card, does not pay the hospital and doctors bill, not to mention the ugly scar (the size of golf ball) and the loss of feeling that I am left with. I have not responded to them yet since receiving their response. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanking you in advance

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    OH10
    Posts
    17,019

    Default Re: Fall Injury After an Airline Failed to Provide Requested Wheelchair Assistance

    Ultimately, you elected to proceed without a wheel chair. The chair is a valid request and if necessary you must wait for its availability. They offered you a courtesy gift card for the inconvenience of the wait you would have had for chair assistance.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    18,340

    Default Re: Fall Injury After an Airline Failed to Provide Requested Wheelchair Assistance

    Quote Quoting Loriinnc
    View Post
    I travelled with Delta October 2013 when we booked flights, and requested a wheelchair at every leg of the trip. When I arrived at JFK, there was no wheelchair or anyone in sight to assist me.
    No one to assist you? How about the cabin crew. You could have went right back down to the plane and asked for assistance/wheelchair.

    Quote Quoting Loriinnc
    View Post
    Being pressed for time, I proceeded to the shuttle bus.
    That says it all.

    By not waiting, you left and assumed the risk that something would happen to you due to your infirmity (whatever that might be).

    You are free to consult an attorney but I think you'll be told that you have nowhere to go with this.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Posts
    1,142

    Default Re: Fall Injury After an Airline Failed to Provide Requested Wheelchair Assistance

    Yep, if you COULD get around without a wheelchair, and you elected to do so, I can't possibly see why they would be responsible for your stumbling getting on the shuttle and hurting your leg this way. If you absolutely could not get around without a wheel chair, which is a shape I have been on while flying before, you'd have waited for somebody to get a wheelchair for you or you'd have been sitting in the airplane. But you got up the ramp, got through the airport, got your bags, and got to the shuttle which is a considerable amount of distance. Then you fell. This sounds more like an "I overdid it" than anything that Delta would be liable for.

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