NEW ORLEANS – A couple claims that American Airlines was responsible for personal injuries the wife suffered when she fell through a gap between the jet airplane and the jet bridge.
Denesia Batiste and Calvin Batiste filed a suit against American Airlines Inc., the city of New Orleans and New Orleans Aviation Board in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on Aug. 11.
According to the claim, the plaintiffs were passengers on a flight on Nov. 15, 2015. The suit states that Denesia Batiste suffered personal injuries when she stepped off of the plane due toward the jet bridge, but fell into a large gap that had been left between the jet and the jet bridge.
The defendants are accused of breach of the proper duty of care through failing to provide the passengers with a safe disembarkation, failing to provide warning and overall negligence through failing to prepare the plane for the passengers' safety. Calvin Batiste claims loss of consortium, services and society of wife, and also sustained damages due to his wife's alleged incident.
The plaintiffs are seeking an unspecified amount in damages. They are represented by Danielle L. Smith with Morris Bart LLC in New Orleans.
The case has been assigned to Division C Judge Sidney H. Cates.
The Orleans Parish Civil District Court case number 16-8051