Allegations of Sexual Assault:
A lawsuit filed against United Airlines details disturbing allegations of a 51-year-old woman being sexually assaulted by a fellow passenger during a flight from Orlando to Denver in October of the previous year.
The legal action accuses the airline of negligence and points fingers at the flight staff for their role in the reported assault.
Incident Details and Legal Action:
The lawsuit, filed in a Colorado federal court, accuses United Airlines of serving an unnamed man seated next to the plaintiff ‘at least nine servings of alcohol’ in increasingly larger glasses.
This purportedly led to the man’s highly intoxicated state and his subsequent alleged assault on the woman during the flight.
Timeline of the Alleged Assault:
According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff and the alleged assailant initially engaged in a pleasant conversation.
However, the situation took a turn when the man began repeatedly requesting drinks, causing frustration among flight attendants.
They allegedly started serving the man larger quantities of alcohol, resulting in the alleged assault an hour into the flight.
Allegations Against Flight Attendants:
The legal complaint suggests that flight attendants were aware of the man’s excessive alcohol consumption and his inappropriate behavior towards the plaintiff but failed to intervene or assess the situation adequately.
The lawsuit holds the airline responsible for the attendant’s alleged negligence.
Trauma and Aftermath:
The lawsuit details a distressing sequence of events, including alleged unwanted touching and advances by the intoxicated man, causing the plaintiff to suffer significant emotional distress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.
United Airlines’ Response:
United Airlines, the defendant in the lawsuit, declined to comment on the pending litigation.
The lawsuit seeks damages of at least $75,000, holding the airline vicariously liable for the alleged assault due to the attendant’s purported actions within the scope of her employment.
Legal Implications and Ongoing Litigation:
The lawsuit raises critical questions about the responsibility of airlines in ensuring passenger safety and the duty of flight staff in handling situations involving excessive alcohol consumption and potential passenger misconduct.
As the legal battle unfolds, it spotlights issues regarding passenger safety and airline liability in such incidents.