Woman's neck, back broken in air turbulence on Continental plane

[Phillippe M]

Woman's neck, back broken in air turbulence on Continental plane
By staff writers - NEWS.com.au - April 22, 2009 11:19am

A WOMAN has been paralysed after turbulence struck a Continental plane while she was using the toilet.

The 47-year-old British woman was in the plane's bathroom when it passed through extremely rough air, flinging her against the bathroom ceiling, the Houston Chronicle reports.

She had reportedly disobeyed warnings to remain in her seat while the plane passed through the turbulence.

"We have a lady who got off her seat coming out or into the bathroom, that's when the situation occurred," her attorney Ramon Garcia, told Texas’s KRGV News.

The woman, along with two other passengers and a crew member, was taken to hospital when the flight 511 landed in McAllen, Texas, on Saturday, Continental spokeswoman Mary Clark said.

Dr Trey Fulp, the spinal surgeon who will perform a second operation today on the passenger, said the woman suffered the same injuries as Christopher Reeve.

"She is paralysed from the nipples to her toes," Dr Trey Fulp told ABC News.

Dr Fulp said she had suffered a “hangman’s fracture”, a neck break commonly seen in patients who hang themselves.

He said it was unclear if the paralysis would be permanent.

Storms had been reported in the Houston area before the flight which had to be delayed several hours. The Boeing 737 carried 104 passengers and five crew members.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/...014090,00.html

[Greg McDonald]

She had reportedly disobeyed warnings to remain in her seat while the plane passed through the turbulence.

Game over..........

[Montague S]

not quite...it says reportedly, whether or not she did is unconfirmed.

she might have been in the toilet before the signs were put on.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6383021.html

[Torin Wilson]

Why are there no seatbelts for the crapper?

People have to go to the toilet, why not make them safer whilst there?

[Owen H]

I'd hate to think of the hygene (or lack thereof) associated!

[Rhys Xanthis]

Originally Posted by Torin Wilson

Why are there no seatbelts for the crapper?

People have to go to the toilet, why not make them safer whilst there?

Probably something to do with hygeine, not to mention stupid people doing something....completely immature to the seatbelt. (Covering it in faeces).

That, and people generally listen when they say stay in your seat.

[Mike Scott]

"if" the seatbelt sign was on..and "if" a PA announcement was made yet the passenger ignored both and chose to go to the bathroom then they simply have no case since their injuries are their own fault...and as was said previously..game over. People need to be held accountable for their own choices and associated lack of good judgement...and common sense.

MS

[NickN]

Must have been some really severe turbulence to break her neck and back!

Speaking of people being held accountable for their actions, I was just informed yesterday one of my clients from 3 years ago, is now challenging a mortgage she took with a major lender claiming that back then she suffered from severe depression and didn't know what she was doing, and claiming her husband who had left her 6 months earlier was good with the finances and that she wasn't equipped to deal with the situation. Mind you she has paid her mortgage for the last 3 years, and is only now challenging the loan because she has not been making her repayments.

I told the person who told me that there has to be a point where people really have to deal with their decisions and not always look to blaming others when things don't turn out right.

[Arthur Boy]

You pay for your ticket, you take your chances.

[Ash W]

Please refrain from quoting the whole previous post in your post, it is not necessary, thank you - mod

Not in this sad messed up world where people don't take responsibiliy for their own actions.