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United Flight 328 Flyers Sue Airline Over PTSD, Failure to Maintain Aircraft

A group of United Airlines flyers are taking the carrier to court, claiming the explosion of an engine aboard their Boeing 777 caused them to have post-traumatic stress disorder. In two different lawsuits, those aboard United Flight 328 are claiming the airline was responsible for the incident, which caused “severe emotional distress.”

Flyers who were aboard United Airlines Flight 328 are now taking the carrier to court, alleging they are at fault for “severe emotional distress” the passengers faced. Denver CBS affiliate KCNC-TV reports two lawsuits are seeking compensation for those on the Boeing 777 when the engine exploded.

Lawsuits Claim Airline Didn’t Maintain Aircraft, Put Flyers in Harm’s Way

The civil action was filed in March 2021 as a class action lawsuit. Their claim alleges that the airline did not correctly maintain their equipment, leading to “one of two engines on this plane spectacularly” failing, creating an emergency.

“The 231 passengers on board UA328 were lucky to escape with their lives, as the flight managed to land with no serious physical injuries; however, it left these passengers in fear for their life for nearly 20 minutes,” the suit reads according to KCNC. “Nearly all of them experienced the emotional distress that would be a natural human emotional response to a near-death experience.”

The group is seeking more than $5 million in damages. Attorney Jonathan Corbett, representing one of the flyers, claims the passengers are suffering from “flashback scenarios” and “general fear.”

According to KCNC, the lawsuit is now being handled by the Clifford Law Offices in Chicago. The attorneys at the aviation law firm say the group of flyers are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“The passengers on this flight thought it was going to be their last,” Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, told KCNC.

When the original lawsuit was filed, United released a statement to the CBS affiliate, noting: “We remain proud of the ability of our employees to safely get our UA328 customers back to the airport and ultimately on to their destination later that same day.” They did not comment on the lawsuit.

Suit Comes as Japan Airlines Chooses to Ground Boeing 777s Powered by Pratt & Whitney Engine

The continued action against United happens as other airlines are choosing to no longer operate aircraft powered by the Pratt & Whitney engine involved in the UA328 incident. Japan Airlines announced they would retire all of their 777 airframes with the PW-4400 series engine, in favor of the next-generation Airbus A350.

Feature image courtesy: NTSB/Flickr/Public Domain

7 Comments
D
dliesse April 20, 2021

It's up to the plaintiffs to prove their case, but they'll probably find some bleeding-heart jurors that agree that life should be all peaches and cream with no risks whatsoever.

S
Snuggs April 15, 2021

This is our fault. Back in the early '90s we should have made a different trade deal with Japan. They could export one car to US for every one of our lawyers they took.

W
White Eagle April 14, 2021

UA is a joke. Their maintenance sloth and haphazardness are classic cheapskate results of bad management.

G
gmt4 April 14, 2021

Pathetic attempt at a payday.

B
bozacksmith April 14, 2021

lawyers are a waste of skin...............