A flight attendant working for another airline has sued Delta Air Lines for severe burns from an alleged coffee spill, which had resulted in severe injuries during an international flight bound for the United States.
Spilled on the plaintiff during a flight
In a statement on September 19, Mark Lindquist, an attorney specializing in aviation, said that it has sued Delta Air Lines on behalf of a victim who suffered severe burns following a coffee spill on a flight.
According to Lindquist, the flight happened on December 15, 2023, with the plaintiff, a flight attendant working for another airline, flying from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
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During the flight, as the victim was watching a movie, a flight attendant set “the excessively hot coffee on a slanted food tray.” Subsequently, the coffee slid and spilled on the victim’s lap, the attorney alleged.
“The victim, a flight attendant on a different airline, promptly notified Delta’s flight attendants of her burn injuries and requested medical assistance. According to court documents, Delta’s flight attendants were dismissive, telling the victim to “just go change.”
Urging to go to the hospital
Lindquist pointed out that the victim only received painkillers and a bandage following multiple pleas, which included showing one of the cabin crew members the severity of her burns in the lavatory.
The plaintiff had also requested for the airline’s flight attendants to find a doctor, yet the pilots and other crew members refused to make an announcement about the medical situation, the lawsuit alleged, adding that such announcements were standard.
“Delta’s crew also declined to contact a medical provider, such as MedAire, to seek a remote doctor’s guidance on how to treat the victim.”
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After landing at SEA and following an examination by paramedics, who later said that those were the worst burns they had ever seen from a coffee spill, the victim was recommended to visit a hospital.
“An ER doctor was shocked that scalding hot coffee, capable of causing such severe burns, was served on an airplane. Her burns – on her hip, side, and abdomen – were blistering.”
Alleging negligence
The lawsuit alleged violations of the Montreal Convention and accused the airline and its employees of negligence, specifically that the flight attendant was serving excessively hot coffee.
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In addition, the suit cited the failure of the crew of Delta Air Lines to provide timely and adequate medical assistance, which had worsened the injuries.
“As a result of her severe burns and the pain, the victim was unable to shower or wear her regular clothes for months. Her daily activities, such as driving, sitting, and even sleeping, all became challenging.”
Lindquist concluded that while the victim has now resumed her daily activities, including working as a flight attendant, the incident has left her with permanent scars.
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Delta Suit: Should Airlines Serve Coffee Hot Enough To Burn?
Delta Air Lines is being sued by a passenger who suffered severe burn injuries after having a coffee spill on her during a flight from Paris to Seattle. The passenger, who works as a flight attendant for a different airline, alleges Delta Air Lines crew did not take the injury seriously enough and initially failed to provide her with emergency supplies to treat the burns. Her injuries were severe, with blistering burns on her hip, side, and abdomen.
According to the announcement by Mark Lindquist Law, the firm handling the passenger’s suit, “After the flight landed at SeaTac Airport, paramedics examined the victim’s injuries. They were surprised by the severity and said the burns were the worst they had ever seen from coffee.”
An ER doctor who examined her expressed shock that “scalding hot coffee, capable of causing such severe burns, was served on an airplane.”
The lawsuit alleges Delta violated the Montreal Convention in their treatment of the passenger and also alleges negligen