Lightning Death Spurs Lawsuit Against AA and South Carolina Airport
Jeff Edwards April 28, 2016
The family of a woman killed by lightning on the tarmac at Columbia Metropolitan Airport last summer has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against American Airlines and the airport.
According to a lawsuit filed in a South Carolina court, Sonya Dockett, a Connecticut attorney and mother of two, died after being struck by lightning as she and other passengers made the dash from a US Airways flight to the terminal at Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) during an approaching thunderstorm. Dockett reportedly succumbed to her injuries, which included severe burns, in the hospital in August of 2015, several days after the incident.
The lawsuit, filed by surviving family members, alleges that the airline (US Airways, which now operates as American Airlines) and the airport were negligent in ordering passengers to leave the relative safety of the aircraft and attempt to walk to the terminal building. Court records indicate that Dockett was struck by lightning on the airport tarmac as she and her son made their way towards the terminal.
“Common sense should have informed those in charge not to send passengers onto an open tarmac in the rain as a dangerous storm approached,” Ken Suggs an attorney representing the family told The State. “Were it not for the defendants’ reckless disregard for the safety of passengers aboard US Airways Flight 5137, Sonya would be alive today, standing at her husband’s side, cheering for her children, and supporting the many good causes she was known for.”
According to court filings, Dockett’s flight was originally bound for Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) but was diverted to CAE due to the severe weather. Passengers remained on the plane for around 45 minutes before being ordered to leave the aircraft and head toward the terminal. Dockett was reportedly carried into the airport building after being knocked unconscious by the lightning strike moments earlier.
The family is seeking unspecified damages that resulted from a “reckless disregard for the safety.” The lawsuit also demands that airline and airport administrators make changes to the way passenger safety issues are handled during future lightning storms.
[Photo: Sonya Dockett]
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This is a horrible act of God thing to happen. The airline should probably just settle the case as a cost of doing business, as a jury is likely to be very sorry for the lady's family.
.Inside a plane is a pretty safe place to be in a thunderstorm, a lot safer than the tarmac. Absent any additional information, this seems like a pretty good case for the plaintiff.
Why? Because this is FT and everyone, for some completely unknown reason, always sides with the airlines in these cases. I truly don't understand it. I'm sure they just completely missed the part where she was ordered by the airline to leave the safety of the aircraft because they couldn't wait to say how stupid the person was.
Why?
"...to leave the relative safety of the aircraft and attempt to walk to the terminal building." I hope the family are left with a huge legal bill.