DALLAS, TEXAS — The family of a woman who died after a mid flight medical emergency on American Airlines is now suing the carrier for negligence.
According to federal court documents, the incident occurred while newlyweds Brittany and Cory Oswell were flying from Honolulu to Dallas Fort-Worth in April 2016.
Three hours into the flight, Brittany became dizzy and disoriented— slurring her speech before suddenly fainting. A doctor on the plane who checked on her initially thought she was having a panic attack.
About one to three hours later, the 25-year-old went to the lavatory, and was discovered lying on the floor after vomiting and soiling herself.
After examining her again, the doctor told the flight crew several times to land the plane at the nearest airport so Brittany could get medical help.
The plane could have diverted to Albuquerque, New Mexico, but instead it continued on for another 90 minutes to Dallas.
During this time, Brittany's breathing and pulse stopped. The doctor tried to use a defibrillator, but it turned out to be faulty. She never regained consciousness, and spent three days on full life support at Baylor Medical Center, before being taken off and declared dead on April 18.
Doctors determined she had a blood clot in her lung, and stated cause of death as acute massive pulmonary embolism and cardiogenic shock.
Her family is seeking damages for their loss, believing the airline is at fault for not diverting the plane, and for the faulty medical equipment onboard.
