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WWYD? Concussion after suitcase fell on my head!

465 replies

UndertheCedartree · 27/09/2025 11:19

Just a thread to get opinions on this and decide what to do.

I was boarding my flight home from Florida on Thursday evening and was just sitting down when a suitcase landed on my head having fallen from the overhead locker. Honestly, the whole experience has been horrible and I feel I've been really badly treated. Being in the US all the Americans keep telling me to sue!

I don't necessarily want to do that but I would like to stop someone experiencing the same. Or I just forget about it and move on. Just interested to hear opinions.

So after it happened they called firefighters (who are paramedics too) to attend. When waiting for this I noticed they had moved my hand luggage off the plane and got my teenage children out of their seats who were both standing there crying. The firefighters came and the airline crew were telling me I have to go to hospital. I asked for some observations to be done and a stretcher brought. They insisted I had to get off the plane. The pilot came out, no empathy atall, just told me to get off the plane or he would call the police! I went with the firefighters and they told me they would have preferred to do observations before moving me but have to do what the airline says.

Anyway they took me to hospital and they said I was ok to fly home the next day. I tried to get in touch with someone to ask for some accommodations to make the flight more bearable as I was in so much pain. I was told I have to speak to 'the airport team' - we arrived at the airport at 11am and there was noone from the airline there. Eventually they came at 1pm but told me they just work on their behalf they can do nothing I need to speak to the airline on the phone/online. Tried numbers, messaging for hours. Eventually I was told they would make sure I was comfortable on the flight with pillows etc. We got on the flight having been up for a day and a half and so uncomfortable from.just sitting on airport seating, I thought I was finally going to be comfortable. When I got on board I asked for a pillow. You would have thought I'd asked for the crown jewels! I was shouted at, told there was only one pillow person customer (not actually a pillow just a small thin cushion) It was a horrible, painful flight and I felt so bad and was so dizzy when I got off the flight I am now in A&E.

They think it is a concussion but I failed one of the neurological observations so I'm waiting for a CT scan. I honestly think they could have taken more care and been much nicer. Wwyd?

OP posts:
kittensinthekitchen · 28/09/2025 16:22

SafeSex · 28/09/2025 16:15

Au contraire.

Hadn't made an error?!?!!!? 😂Did you read the post I responded to?

Why are you trying so desperately to derail the thread?

LateLifeReturnee · 28/09/2025 16:16

Why am I not surprised it was British Airways?

At the very least, send in a complaint.

SafeSex · 28/09/2025 16:16

TheBewleySisters · 28/09/2025 16:09

Early on in her posts, the OP says there was 'no weight limit' for cabin bags. Surely this can't be correct?

I can't remember ever having to weigh my cabin baggage, either on BA or budget airlines. They do sometimes check the dimensions though.

SafeSex · 28/09/2025 16:15

SeptemberNCing · 28/09/2025 15:58

No they realised they made a fool of themselves in correcting someone who hadn’t made an error so are now trying to act mysterious and as though it was intentional.

Au contraire.

Hadn't made an error?!?!!!? 😂Did you read the post I responded to?

LateLifeReturnee · 28/09/2025 16:13

TheBewleySisters · 28/09/2025 16:09

Early on in her posts, the OP says there was 'no weight limit' for cabin bags. Surely this can't be correct?

I never had my carry-on weighted on a flight originating in America. People carry on horrendously heavy bags.

TheBewleySisters · 28/09/2025 16:09

Early on in her posts, the OP says there was 'no weight limit' for cabin bags. Surely this can't be correct?

AngelicKaty · 28/09/2025 16:08

ItsWrittenintheStars · 28/09/2025 14:52

This does not need to be declared on a Visa.

OP I saw the post on FB and I think BA should have at least offered you upgraded seats on the way home so that you could have been comfortable. Deal with your health first and then worry about suing etc.

ESTA isn't a visa - quite the opposite in fact, since the ESTA system checks the eligibility of people to visit the US under the Visa Waiver Program. And you do have to declare criminal convictions on an ESTA application, but you won't necessarily be denied entry - it depends on the seriousness of the crime.

Puzzledtoday · 28/09/2025 16:05

That is appalling and suing may be the only way to get taken seriously.

DriveboyDogboy · 28/09/2025 16:00

LondonPapa · 28/09/2025 14:17

By virtue of this being an American flight, happening in the US, you sue. And it seems to be much more serious than you think. I vote sue.

For what? The OP doesn't have any losses. Immediately after an alleged incident is not when you sue.

SeptemberNCing · 28/09/2025 15:58

MissSophiaGrace · 28/09/2025 15:54

Are you on glue?

No they realised they made a fool of themselves in correcting someone who hadn’t made an error so are now trying to act mysterious and as though it was intentional.

SafeSex · 28/09/2025 15:58

MissSophiaGrace · 28/09/2025 15:54

Are you on glue?

No. Are you?

MissSophiaGrace · 28/09/2025 15:54

SafeSex · 28/09/2025 15:47

Why is it its and not it's, why is it of and not have, why is it teenagers and not teenagers', why is it their and not they're?

So many questions...

Are you on glue?

SafeSex · 28/09/2025 15:47

MissSophiaGrace · 28/09/2025 15:12

Why is it you're and not your? God this thread is confusing me on so many levels

Why is it its and not it's, why is it of and not have, why is it teenagers and not teenagers', why is it their and not they're?

So many questions...

notimagain · 28/09/2025 15:41

@UnderstoodBetsy

The crew sound as though they were not very understanding or empathetic.

Crew of course are supposed to have both of those in unlimited supply.....unfortunately the reality is if they're short of sleep and just starting a long night shift that looks like it might be extending those qualities can be tough to summon up, especially in some circumstances*

It seems to me the paramedics acted appropriately.

Agreed.

SafeSex · 28/09/2025 15:39

havinalarf · 28/09/2025 15:15

you're teenagers

Eh? This would mean "you are teenagers". Your teenagers means the teenagers belonging to you. Mischievous or misreading?

The former. I thought we may as well go for a full house of grammatical errors for the sake of consistency.

UnderstoodBetsy · 28/09/2025 15:33

I am in the US (though not in Florida, fortunately). The crew sound as though they were not very understanding or empathetic. It seems to me the paramedics acted appropriately. I can't imagine which observations they could have done on the plane that would have changed the outcome (i.e., going to the hospital). You clearly needed to be checked out in a hospital.

As for payment, US hospitals generally collect information about health insurance at some point during the admissions process. If you don't have insurance, they will take down that information. They don't demand payment at the door, but you can expect to receive a bill.

Luxio · 28/09/2025 15:30

UnderstoodBetsy · 28/09/2025 15:24

I would imagine the PP was trying to suggest that they are all teenagers, including the OP, implying a certain immaturity in the OP's responses.

Or the PP just got it wrong! 😅

I doubt that was the intention. They were clearly trying to correct the poster and in doing so made themselves look ridiculous.

I suspect as a PP has commented that there is in fact no insurance or indeed perhaps no head injury at all.

MrsWhites · 28/09/2025 15:26

Let’s be honest, if you can arrange a Lyft to get yourself from the hospital to a hotel, from the hotel to an airport, get through a UK airport, from the airport to a UK hospital and to post several times on Facebook groups as well as mumsnet - you can either access your digital travel insurance or ask someone else to get the details from the suitcase where the OP claims they are.

The OP is acting like it’s new information to her that she may need travel insurance in this case yet there is no way a US hospital didn’t ask a UK national if they have insurance and several people have advised her to do so via the Facebook posts and on here!

UnderstoodBetsy · 28/09/2025 15:24

SeptemberNCing · 28/09/2025 15:18

Oh dear.

If you’re going to correct someone, at least get it right!

I would imagine the PP was trying to suggest that they are all teenagers, including the OP, implying a certain immaturity in the OP's responses.

Or the PP just got it wrong! 😅

SeptemberNCing · 28/09/2025 15:19

9inapack · 28/09/2025 15:07

This op won’t have insurance

I suspect so. Everything is done electronically these days and it’s highly unlikely she only has a paper copy of travel insurance which just happens to be in a suitcase she doesn’t have with no email copy on her phone.

SeptemberNCing · 28/09/2025 15:18

SafeSex · 28/09/2025 15:09

*you're teenagers

Oh dear.

If you’re going to correct someone, at least get it right!

Douchey · 28/09/2025 15:15

Happened to my ex MIL. She sued and got a massive payout. Do it. And I hope you feel better soon! X

havinalarf · 28/09/2025 15:15

you're teenagers

Eh? This would mean "you are teenagers". Your teenagers means the teenagers belonging to you. Mischievous or misreading?

9inapack · 28/09/2025 15:15

SafeSex · 28/09/2025 15:09

*you're teenagers

oh dear

Tiswa · 28/09/2025 15:14

The one thing that isn’t I don’t think odd is the idea that hand luggage wouldn’t be heavy enough! Add in books/metal water bottle into a hard pull along case it certainly could hurt

DD once got concussion from a bucket being shot on her head in soft play at a theme park and wasn’t great with it at all so it can be quite bad hit on the top of the head