Trending...
- Self-Published Dad's Santa Book Finally Found After 3 Years on Amazon
- Tacoma: 'Capital Ready: Preparing Businesses for Growth in Public Contracting' Workshop on October 27
- Spokane: SPD Seeks Assistance in Locating Vehicle Associated in Hit and Run
KING COUNTY, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A jury rendered a $3.19 million verdict in favor of the family of Bernice Kekona. The elderly and disabled passenger suffered fatal injuries when she fell down an escalator while in her wheelchair after Alaska Airlines failed to provide gate-to-gate transportation—which had been requested and confirmed five times—to a connecting flight in 2017. The verdict against Alaska was handed down Monday, February 22, 2021 in King County Superior Court.
"Bernice Kekona was the victim of a tragic failure by Alaska to provide basic services between their flights," said Robert Gellatly of Luvera Law Firm, who represented the Kekona family. "Alaska failed Bernice miserably, and the company has continued to wield the legal system like a weapon to blame Bernice, evade responsibility, and undermine her grieving family in the most hurtful ways."
The jury sided with the relatives of 75-year-old Kekona, an amputee and disabled passenger, who was traveling home from Hawaii to Spokane, and had scheduled assistance traveling between gates at the Portland International Airport. When the escorts her family arranged left Kekona alone due to miscommunications between Alaska and its contractor, she attempted to make the trip herself, ultimately falling down 21 steps on an airport escalator in her wheelchair – a horrific incident captured on surveillance video.
More on Washingtoner
Kekona's injuries included trauma to her head and chest and escalator marks on her face, but the most significant was an Achilles tendon injury that led to septic infection. After three months of a painful and ultimately unsuccessful recovery process, doctors finally amputated her remaining leg, and she died the day after the surgery from overwhelming infection.
"Passenger consumers trust that airlines will provide basic services in keeping with safety regulations, and Alaska really dropped the ball in taking simple steps to ensure Mrs. Kekona's well-being," said Brook Cunningham of Randall Danskin, co-counsel for the Kekona family. "We're honored to help hold the airline accountable and ensure safety for other passengers."
The court rejected an earlier move by Alaska to dismiss the case. Throughout legal proceedings, the airline repeatedly tried to lay blame solely on Kekona herself, despite the fact that employees disregarded the family's arrangements and the company's own safety protocols in allowing a disabled septuagenarian to venture off, alone.
More on Washingtoner
In its verdict, the jury found the airline 90 percent responsible for the injuries that led to Kekona's death, which Gellatly said he hopes will bring a measure of closure to the Kekona family.
"For the past four years, this grieving family has asked Alaska for transparency and accountability to ensure this wouldn't happen to another vulnerable passenger," Gellatly said. "We admire this family's bravery in continuing to fight in Mrs. Kekona's memory, and we thank the jury for their time and thoughtfulness in holding Alaska responsible for passenger safety."
About Luvera Law Firm:
Luvera Law Firm is a nationally recognized firm, with high standards of ethical conduct. The firm specializes in medical malpractice, brain injury, death and other major damage cases, and seeks justice for clients as well as positive changes in corporate and governmental behavior. Find more at www.luveralawfirm.com
"Bernice Kekona was the victim of a tragic failure by Alaska to provide basic services between their flights," said Robert Gellatly of Luvera Law Firm, who represented the Kekona family. "Alaska failed Bernice miserably, and the company has continued to wield the legal system like a weapon to blame Bernice, evade responsibility, and undermine her grieving family in the most hurtful ways."
The jury sided with the relatives of 75-year-old Kekona, an amputee and disabled passenger, who was traveling home from Hawaii to Spokane, and had scheduled assistance traveling between gates at the Portland International Airport. When the escorts her family arranged left Kekona alone due to miscommunications between Alaska and its contractor, she attempted to make the trip herself, ultimately falling down 21 steps on an airport escalator in her wheelchair – a horrific incident captured on surveillance video.
More on Washingtoner
- Simpalm Staffing Launches Tax Preparer Staffing for U.S. CPA Firms
- ASSIST Software Wins Volkswagen Challenge for Automated Quality Inspection
- National Literacy and Workforce Readiness Crisis Sparks New Program Launching in Birmingham
- New England Consulting Partners Celebrates 25 Years of Turnaround Management Solutions
- RAS AP Consulting Releases Educational Resource to Help Organizations Prepare for IRS FIRE-to-IRIS Transition
Kekona's injuries included trauma to her head and chest and escalator marks on her face, but the most significant was an Achilles tendon injury that led to septic infection. After three months of a painful and ultimately unsuccessful recovery process, doctors finally amputated her remaining leg, and she died the day after the surgery from overwhelming infection.
"Passenger consumers trust that airlines will provide basic services in keeping with safety regulations, and Alaska really dropped the ball in taking simple steps to ensure Mrs. Kekona's well-being," said Brook Cunningham of Randall Danskin, co-counsel for the Kekona family. "We're honored to help hold the airline accountable and ensure safety for other passengers."
The court rejected an earlier move by Alaska to dismiss the case. Throughout legal proceedings, the airline repeatedly tried to lay blame solely on Kekona herself, despite the fact that employees disregarded the family's arrangements and the company's own safety protocols in allowing a disabled septuagenarian to venture off, alone.
More on Washingtoner
- Roots, Rhythm & Joy Invites Neighbors to Find Community Through Music
- Tacoma: Homicide Investigation – 1100 Commerce Street
- Former Goddard Enterprises Managing Director Anthony Ali Joins STS Capital Partners as Managing Director and Partner
- Heritage at Manalapan Announces Limited-Time Mortgage Rate Buydown on Select Quick Move-In Homes
- Good Organics Now at Pop Up Grocer NYC With October 30 Sampling Event
In its verdict, the jury found the airline 90 percent responsible for the injuries that led to Kekona's death, which Gellatly said he hopes will bring a measure of closure to the Kekona family.
"For the past four years, this grieving family has asked Alaska for transparency and accountability to ensure this wouldn't happen to another vulnerable passenger," Gellatly said. "We admire this family's bravery in continuing to fight in Mrs. Kekona's memory, and we thank the jury for their time and thoughtfulness in holding Alaska responsible for passenger safety."
About Luvera Law Firm:
Luvera Law Firm is a nationally recognized firm, with high standards of ethical conduct. The firm specializes in medical malpractice, brain injury, death and other major damage cases, and seeks justice for clients as well as positive changes in corporate and governmental behavior. Find more at www.luveralawfirm.com
0 Comments
Latest on Washingtoner
- AI Agents Are Getting Their Own Computers. HRTech Leading in Vertical Harness Development
- UK Financial Ltd Announces Two-for-One Upgrade of Maya 3 to Maya 3G Token Using Chainlink Cross-Chain Technology
- Critical FDA Milestone much Closer as Preservative-Free Ketamine Review Advances: NRx Pharmaceuticals (N A S D A Q: NRXP)
- Spokane City Council Passes Community Safety Sales Tax
- AutoProIT Achieves Cyber Essentials Certification, Reinforcing Its Commitment to Secure Digital Transformation
- DayPass llega a ChatGPT y Claude
- DayPass launches in ChatGPT and Claude
- Renkeer Water Quality Sensors Support Efficient Operation of AI Liquid Cooling Systems
- Victor Archibong Expands ItsArchiDuh Creator Brand
- ClearSight Therapeutics Receives U.S. Patent Notice of Allowance
- Revinate launches hospitality's first data activation platform
- HLN Consulting Names Lilly Kan as Its First Chief Executive Officer
- BitTitan Accelerates Large-Scale Document Migrations with MigrationWiz
- Clearnetworx Deploys netElastic vBNG, CGNAT And netVision To Power Fiber Expansion Across Colorado's Western Slope
- Spokane: SPD Seeks Assistance in Locating Vehicle Associated in Hit and Run
- Tacoma: 'Capital Ready: Preparing Businesses for Growth in Public Contracting' Workshop on October 27
- Six Tacoma Census Tracts Nominated by Governor Bob Ferguson as Federal 'Opportunity Zones'
- Seven Spokane Census Tracts Receive Opportunity Zone Designations
- Creole101 Launches Multilingual Dictionary App with 50,000+ Entries, Vocabulary Games and Haitian Cultural Resources
- Hilton Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa Introduces Level 37 Sky Lounge by Casamigos