A Delta Air Lines coffee spill incident has led to a lawsuit after a flight attendant from another airline suffered severe burns during an international flight. The case, filed on September 19 by attorney Mark Lindquist, accuses Delta of negligence under the Montreal Convention and claims that the airline’s crew failed to provide adequate medical assistance, worsening the victim’s condition.

The Incident: Coffee Spill on an International Flight

The event in question occurred on December 15, 2023, aboard a flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The plaintiff, a flight attendant working for another airline, was traveling as a passenger when a Delta flight attendant allegedly spilled excessively hot coffee on her, causing significant burns.

The plaintiff immediately informed Delta’s crew about her injuries and requested medical help. However, according to court documents, the flight attendants’ response was dismissive. One crew member allegedly told the victim to “just go change” her clothes, undermining the seriousness of her burns.

Failure to Provide Proper Medical Assistance

Despite the victim’s repeated pleas for assistance, Delta’s crew reportedly provided only basic care in the form of painkillers and a bandage. The plaintiff even showed the severity of her burns to a cabin crew member in the lavatory, but further medical assistance was not forthcoming.

Moreover, the plaintiff asked the flight attendants to seek help from a doctor onboard. However, Delta’s crew refused to make a standard announcement requesting medical personnel, as alleged in the lawsuit. The crew also failed to contact a medical provider like MedAire for remote advice on how to treat the burns.

Examination by Paramedics After Landing

Upon landing in Seattle, paramedics were called to examine the plaintiff, and they expressed shock at the extent of her injuries. Described as the worst coffee spill burns they had ever seen, the burns covered her hip, side, and abdomen, and were visibly blistering.

A subsequent examination by an emergency room doctor echoed the paramedics’ concerns. The doctor was astonished that coffee hot enough to cause such severe burns had been served during the flight. The burns left the victim unable to perform basic activities like showering, wearing regular clothes, driving, sitting, or sleeping for months.

Allegations of Negligence

The lawsuit alleges that Delta Air Lines was negligent by serving dangerously hot coffee and failing to provide adequate and timely medical care to the victim. This lack of action, according to the lawsuit, exacerbated the victim’s pain and injuries.

The complaint emphasizes that the victim’s life was severely impacted by the incident. Although she has since resumed her work as a flight attendant, the burns left her with permanent scars.

Mark Lindquist, representing the plaintiff, expressed disappointment with the airline’s handling of the situation, stating that Delta’s crew violated basic protocols for in-flight medical emergencies. The lawsuit aims to hold Delta Air Lines accountable for the physical and emotional toll suffered by the victim, citing both the airline’s negligence and failure to act in accordance with international aviation standards.

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Featured image By Aldo Bidini