WWYD? Concussion after suitcase fell on my head!

[UndertheCedartree]

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?

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

@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.

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?

No. Are you?

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.

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

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

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.

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.

Au contraire.

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

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

Why am I not surprised it was British Airways?

At the very least, send in a complaint.

Why are you trying so desperately to derail the thread?

She could sue for personal injury (and possibly emotional distress) but I agree, her priority should be informing her insurer about the incident, not asking about potential legal action. I find it really odd that she hasn't yet informed her travel insurance provider ... 🤔

I'm hardly "trying desperately". And from skimming it, it sounds like the OP has done a pretty good job of that herself.

Bizarrely, it is (on BA anyway). They give cabin bag maximum dimensions, but not weight. I guess, if you adhere to the dimensions, the only way you could make a bag that small really heavy is to fill it with gold bars! 😂

it all sounds like it escalated pretty quickly. The pilot threatening you with the police if you didn’t leave the plane? Was there some sort of altercation that you haven’t told us about in the lead up to this threat? You definitely do need to pursue it via your insurance. I’m also guessing they’ll advise you on what you need to do regarding how it was all handled.

Trunki's and other small suitcases are allowed and packed full would be pretty heavy.

So what were the results of your CT scan?

You don't know everyone else on the flights health situation. There are many reasons people want their flights to leave on time, including their health, medications, appointments, ability to be seated for so long etc.

As for everything else, you need to get on to your travel insurance ASAP. That should have been your first step, and if you were unable to contact them your teenagers or someone else should have on your behalf.

But if she already had an ESTA (I've no idea whether she did or not) then it wouldn't be an issue until she needed a new one.

On airlines where there is no weight limit there is also normally the rule that you must be able to carry it and lift it into the luggage bins yourself, so that is going to limit it to around 20kg except for body builders! (There are exceptions for passengers who need assistance in general.)

There is certainly precedent where people have successfully sued!