PHILADELPHIA — A passenger is suing Southwest Airlines Company, GE Aviation LLC and several other companies for alleged negligence and breach of contract.
Lilia Chavez filed a complaint on April 26 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleging that the defendants breached their duty to ensure that their aircraft and engines were airworthy.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that she was onboard a Southwest Airlines flight when an engine fan blade allegedly failed, causing it to strike the aircraft's fuselage and shatter a passenger's window. As a result, the plaintiff claims that she has suffered severe personal injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, emotional distress and depression. The plaintiff holds the defendants responsible for allegedly failing to properly inspect the engine for signs of impending catastrophic failure and take appropriate and reasonable corrective measures after the inflight emergency.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks compensatory and punitive damages, plus interest, costs and fees. She is represented by Bradley J. Soll of Latzman, Lampert & Stoll in Wayne.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case number 2:18-cv-01769-GAM