Air Canada Passenger Suffers DVT After Being Stuck In Cramped Seat

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A 64-year-old Victoria, Canada man claims that being stuck on an airline plane in cramped quarters has taken him from a once active man to one that is short of breath and has trouble moving around.

He says that doctors told him he nearly lost his life after a recent airplane trip.

In January, the man travelled to Argentina on a hiking trip. The trip home included a 10-hour flight from Chile to Toronto on an Air Canada 777 airplane.

The man says for most of the flight, passengers were discouraged from getting out of their seats because of turbulence. At over 6 feet tall, that was a problem for the man.

A day and a half after he returned home, he says he felt a sudden sharp pain in his lower back. When it was still there the next morning he went to a hospital.

Two CT scans later, doctors told the man he had deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which was likely the result of having to sit for most of the 10-hour flight, and that blood clots had migrated up his leg, through his heart and into his lungs.

DVT is a condition where a blood clot develops within a deep vein, usually in the thigh or leg. It can break off and make its way to the lungs, where it can cause breathing problems.

According to the World Health Organization, passengers traveling in cramped areas for more than four hours are at risk.

The man raised the DVT issue with Air Canada and got this response:

“Medical evidence has shown that deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is the result of a pre-existing personal medical condition, related to an individual rather than a transportation system. International courts have confirmed that based on the aforementioned evidence there is no liability to air carriers for DVT that occurs during a flight.”

When it comes to the safety of passengers, in general, airlines have a total responsibility to make sure no passengers are harmed while onboard their plane. In the case of DVT, precautions must be made. Seating on airplanes, particularly in economy class, has shrunk over the years, although airline companies will argue that legroom has not been lost, just as this case shows.

DVT can occur in travelling passengers from the following issues:

  • Airline offering cramped seating where there is no room to move freely
  • Not being able to move around the aircraft cabin
  • Not having sufficient legroom

If you have suffered harm on an airplane trip, including DVT, our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton may be able to help you achieve financial compensation for your losses. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your injuries, we may be able to file an injury claim against the negligent airlines for damages.

Call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation.

 

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