Mark Lindquist Law: Passenger sues American Airlines for negligence

Flight made two emergency landings

CHICAGO, Feb. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, a passenger filed suit against American Airlines for negligence, alleging the airline pushed a Boeing plane back into service despite "a known dangerous and unsafe condition." 

Theresa DeMaria was a passenger on the outbound leg of a roundtrip flight from Chicago, Illinois to Phoenix, Arizona, in January of last year. The plane made an emergency landing in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Approximately four hours after landing, American Airlines employees said the Boeing aircraft was "fixed," according to DeMaria, but mechanics needed an additional three hours to test and confirm this. Thirty minutes later, however, the airline reboarded DeMaria and other passengers. 

DeMaria overheard a flight attendant state she "doesn't know if the plane was fixed."

"After an emergency landing, a plane shouldn't go back into service until the problem is fixed. Hoping it might be fixed isn't good enough," said attorney Mark Lindquist, who represents DeMaria along with attorney Austin Bartlett of BartlettChen LLC.

During the flight, DeMaria became lightheaded, her stomach was queasy, and she felt pressure in her chest. After growing tired, she fell asleep. She awoke with intense pain, her ears ringing, her head pounding, and with difficulty breathing. 

She pressed the flight attendant call button about the same time as several other passengers. There was chaos on the plane. The captain announced a second emergency landing. 

DeMaria was texting her children as she feared for her life. Other passengers were similarly distressed. 

After the aircraft landed in Dallas, paramedics boarded. DeMaria attempted to stand, but fainted due to oxygen depletion. She was administered oxygen, put in a wheelchair, and transferred to a stretcher by paramedics along with other passengers.

In the lawsuit, Lindquist and Bartlett allege American Airlines failed to assure that the Boeing aircraft was safe, failed to properly repair and test the cabin pressurization system after the first emergency landing, and failed to put passenger safety ahead of profits. 

"Our client wants accountability and safer planes," Lindquist said. 

DeMaria is a frequent flier and used to love to fly. Now, flying causes severe anxiety. Additionally, she suffers from persistent headaches and other injuries associated with Hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation.

DeMaria discussed her experience on the Dr. Phil show. Attorney Lindquist appeared on the same show, which was focused on plane safety. 

Aviation attorneys Mark Lindquist and Austin Bartlett represented dozens of victim families in the Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes and currently represent 34 passengers in the recent Boeing Max 9 door plug blowout.

Copies of the complaint are available from [email protected].

Plaintiff passenger will be available for Zoom interviews.

SOURCE Mark Lindquist Law