A meal on an El Al flight/photo: tomaszszczesniak1, youtube
The family of a six-year-old girl who was left "scarred and disfigured" when a hot meal fell from a tray into her legs during a 12-hour flight from Tel Aviv to Newark, New York, is suing United Airlines for negligence after claiming the airline failed to warn passengers that the food served was hot and could cause a burn injury.
The suit, filed in Illinois District Court earlier this week, alleges that United Airlines also failed to equip its planes with adequate first aid supplies to treat burn injuries.
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The incident occurred in July 2022 when Michal Pepperman flew with her daughter (referred to by the initials OF in the lawsuit) from Tel Aviv to Newark on United Airlines flight #91.
Since the accident, the girl has been left disfigured and scarred, according to the American news website Paddle Your Own Kanoo.
During the serving of the first meal, Michal says that she took the meal from one of the flight attendants and placed it on her daughter's tray table, not realizing that the table was damaged and leaning downwards.
The meal slipped from the tray onto her daughter's lap, resulting in her being burned.
Michal quickly called the flight attendants, but the lawsuit alleges that the crew could not have done much because the plane was not equipped with the necessary medical equipment.
The airline did not warn that the dish was so hot.
Meal on the plane/ShutterStock
The flight attendants are accused of not checking that the meals were not "unreasonably" hot
According to the lawsuit, United's negligence is manifested in that it is responsible for causing OF's injuries, including the fact that the airline did not inform passengers that the hot meals served were so hot that they could cause burns.
The complaint also claims that United failed to check and maintain the trays on the plane to prevent such an accident, while the flight attendants are also accused of not checking that the meals were not "unreasonably" hot before they were served to the passengers.
United is also accused of failing to train cabin crew on how to provide meals to small children, and failing to train crew members on how to treat a burn injury.
The complaint claims: "As a direct, foreseeable and proximate result of United's negligence, OF was seriously injured and seeks compensation for her injuries, burns, disfigurement, scars, discoloration, neurological impairments, injury, pain, suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, discomfort, humiliation, Embarrassment and loss of the ability to enjoy her life, which she experienced in the past and/or will continue to experience in the future."
In addition to United's claim of negligence, the family is also filing a claim under the Montreal Convention, which holds airlines fully liable for injuries caused to passengers during an international flight.
Against such claims, it is much more difficult for the airline to defend itself, although the amount of financial compensation available to the victims is quite limited.
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To the full article
Accused of not training the flight attendants on how to provide meals to small children.
United Airlines/United Airlines PR
Not the only accident of a girl on a United flight
Last month, another family filed a lawsuit against United after their young daughter suffered a "traumatic injury" to her left middle finger when she was caught in the pivot mechanism of the armrest on an economy class seat.
The accident happened on a 10-hour flight from Amsterdam to San Francisco, when the girl put her finger in the mechanism when the armrest was in the up position.
The armrest was suddenly lowered, trapping the girl's finger.
Doctors on duty who happened to be on the same flight rushed to help, but the victim's injury was so severe that she required surgery to repair the tendon and secondary gummy ligament of the thumb.
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