A federal California jury ruled that Fort Worth-based American Airlines should pay $9.6 million for neglecting a passenger who suffered a stroke onboard a flight from Miami to Madrid, failing to report his midflight symptoms.

The San Jose-based jury found that when Watsonville, Calif., resident Jesus Plasencia suffered a stroke after takeoff on Flight 68 in March 2021, flight crew did not follow American's policies and procedures, according to a statement from his attorneys.

Plasencia, a chef, suffered a short transient ischemic attack, sometimes referred to as a mini stroke, while at the gate in Miami, according to evidence presented at the six-day trial, the statement said. Plasencia was unaware that the attack had happened. However, Plasencia's wife, Marcela Tavantzis, alerted a flight attendant that her husband temporarily lost motor control and began speaking "gibberish," according to the statement.

A transient ischemic attack is likened to a temporary stroke and means there is a temporary lack of blood flow to part of a person's brain, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The symptoms of a TIA are similar to an ischemic stroke, which can include one-sided weakness, slurred speech and blurred vision. Though most TIA symptoms subside within minutes, they are often a warning sign that a stroke is possible or even imminent, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Aviation News

Stay prepared. Receive the latest airlines news, delivered straight to your inbox.

Or with:

Google

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

"People may have a stroke shortly after a TIA, but not realize what the TIA was," the Cleveland Clinic says on its website.

Instead of reporting the incident to medical personnel, an American Airlines pilot cleared Plasencia for takeoff, in contradiction with the carrier's policies, the statement said. After Plasencia began displaying stroke symptoms after takeoff, the flight crew asked other passengers to watch him but did not inform the pilot about the incident, according to the statement.

As a result, Plasencia did not receive urgent medical treatment for his stroke for eight hours, the statement said.

Typically, flights will be diverted to the nearest airport during emergency medical situations.

"It is shocking that American Airlines responded so poorly to a medical emergency like this, and it is appalling that the airline tried to defend its conduct by claiming Mr. Plasencia had pre-existing conditions," Darren Nicholson, an attorney for Dallas-based Burns Charest LLP and lead counsel for Tavantzis and Plasencia, said in a statement.

Hannah Crowe, also an attorney at Burns Charest, and San Mateo, Calif.-based attorney Sanjiv Singh also tried the case.

"Under a treaty called the Montreal Convention, passengers have extra protections on international flights," Crowe said in a statement. "The jury rightfully determined American violated the law, and we are grateful for their verdict."

In response to a media inquiry regarding the verdict, American Airlines said in a statement, "The safety and well-being of our passengers is our highest priority. While we respect the jury's decision, we disagree with the verdict and are currently evaluating next steps."

American Airlines hit with $9.6 million judgment for neglecting passenger having stroke