Turbulence Injures 10 on United Airlines Flight to Texas

The plane accident lawyers at Bohrer & Lukeman are closely monitoring the events surrounding a case of severe turbulence aboard United Airlines Flight 1031 from Panama to Texas. On Tuesday, June 20, the Boeing 737-800 commercial jetliner was en route from Panama City to Houston when it experienced the emergency situation. The violent shaking injured 9 passengers and 1 crewmember enough to require hospitalization.

“Many people were crying,” said Carlos Padron, a passenger who suffered a laceration on his head during the violent shaking.

“Many people, they jumped to the ceiling of the plane,” added relative Isa Padron, who was traveling with Carlos.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft was 80 miles east of Cancun, Mexico when the incident occurred. The turbulence is believed to have been a result of Tropical Storm Cindy moving through the northwest Gulf of Mexico.

The plane landed safely at George Bush Intercontinental Airport just after 2:30 p.m. Paramedics rushed to meet it on the runway, evacuating distressed passengers on stretchers and in wheelchairs. Minor injuries were treated planeside, while 10 onboard were rushed to the hospital for treatment and further examination.

“Our thoughts and concerns are with those who were injured and our team is reaching out directly to our customers to provide further care and support,” said a spokesperson for United.

This event is one of a string of incidents that have plagued the airline following the forced removal of a passenger from a flight in April. After the removal of Dr. David Dao from United Flight 3411 went viral, the airline has also seen a scorpion fall on a passenger from an overhead bin and an international flight almost takeoff with gas spraying from its left wing.

New York aviation attorney Abe Bohrer commented on this recent report: “I often see injured airline passengers contact the airline on their own after a turbulence event and attempt to secure compensation without experienced aviation counsel. The airlines typically respond by telling the passenger, and sometimes a non-aviation lawyer, that the injuries were caused by clear air turbulence, and as such they are not responsible. In doing so, these same passengers typically give away information and facts to the airline that are damaging to their case. It is imperative that you have counsel who knows and understands the law. Do not try to contact the airline and negotiate a settlement on your own.”

Bohrer & Lukeman has represented passengers injured during the course of in-flight turbulence for over 20 years. We have successfully brought and won cases against many of the major airlines, and are recognized worldwide for our case Magan vs. Lufthansa, in which we fought for and won a landmark ruling for airline passengers injured by turbulence. Bohrer & Lukeman will continue to follow cases of injury and/or wrongful death related to turbulence and all other causes involved in aviation accidents. The New York-based law firm has successfully represented victims and their families in general and commercial plane accidents and crashes both domestically and internationally for over 25 years.