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?

A recent criminal record for theft???

The truthiness scale?

Maybe I haven't got away with it who knows!

I am back home luckily now. CT clear. My dad has taken all my insurance details to deal with it.

I feel ok when painkillers are kicked in. As soon as they stop working I feel dreadful again.

I also didn't realise but I apparently did pass out.

Good advice, thank you.

The first time I read this post on Facebook I thought it sounded really dramatic and I still have the same opinion. You seem adamant you have a concussion yet failed one of the tests and, in my experience, the amount of time you seem to be spending on screens would be next to impossible with a concussion of any severity.

I was on a tight budget for America.

I have no current social worker involvement for me or my children. I do have a support worker.

This is true. I mean not exactly poor to be able to go on this incredible holiday. But not wealthy no.

You should let them know then, because BA very happily accepted my 20kg+ suitcase as cabin baggage last month when flying transatlantic.

At the time, knowing it was a particularly heavy case compared to what I would normally take onboard, I asked what the limit was and they said 23kg. Having just now googled to check my own sanity, it gives dimensions and says you must be able to lift it into the overhead locker unassisted. That’s all.

I fly a couple of times a month, although mostly within Europe, and I have never had the weight of my cabin baggage checked. Dimensions yes, weight no.

At this point I was sitting on one of the fold down chairs near the door. I remember seeing my backpack sitting outside the door. I was of the impression the firefighters wanted to get a stretcher but I am pretty confused to be fair.

Thank you! Was starting to question what really happened.

It doesn't take long to do a couple of sets of obs. Definitely less time than all the 'hoo ha' the pilot caused.

So was it HCA Florida Airport North Emergency Hospital?
Their website says about their Registration Process: "During your visit, you will be visited by a registration clerk who will gather your information at your bedside. They will ask you to sign a treatment consent form and provide your name, address, phone number, personal physician and insurance information."
What makes your DS think your examination "was paid for by the airport"?

I have never been in an American hospital before. But I would say the facilities and care were very very basic. Much lower standard than an NHS hospital. Maybe because it is an airport A&E I honestly don't know.

Goodness op, pilots don’t come into the cabin and cause a “hoo ha” for no reason.
I think your version of events may be slightly different to the air crew’s

But given your dazed state (demonstrated by how seriously your UK hospital appears to have taken it two days later) you needed more than a few obs. There was no way the pilot would take responsibility for flying you back at that point and had to offload you for further assessment and clearance to travel.

Because I'm an idiot! Never had to do anything like this before. But my dad is sorting it now thank goodness.

I seem to be going in and out of coherence. I feel fine at times and then awful again.

Do you understand that the pilot did the right thing as you needed to be declared fit to fly by a doctor not a paramedic?

I got comprehensive insurance considering I was going to America. I am guessing a hospital/ambulance bill may come I honestly don't know. I had to pay for a hotel but they were very nice and gave me a discount. BA did put us on the next flight for free.

@UndertheCedartree I am sure the hospital will have advised you to stay away from screens from a few days. If you are still feeling bad it might be an idea to step away, rather than trying to defend against all the veiled accusations? You can always start a new thread in legal when you are feeling better.

I hope you feel better soon.

Can I ask why you were insistent on obs on board?

If you were complaining of a blow to the head and possible concussion you weren't going to be travelling, regardless of what they did or didn't reveal.

I did think that. I don't know why they didn't insist. I wasn't expected to walk off but use a wheelchair. The firefighters told me on a BA flight on the aeroplane it is like being in the UK and thry can't insist on doing obs etc. Doesn't sound right to me but is what they said.

Oh no! But my insurance will cover it I assume

@youalright how heavy could it possibly of been.

I find it a bit ridiculous that you're trying to insist OP couldn't have possibly taken a heavy hit, when OP's typing is a lot clearer than yours. You just wrote "possibly of been" which doesn't even make any sense.