United Airlines Destroys the Life of Another Disabled Person
Traveling while disabled isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s dangerous.
Despite increasing scrutiny of their treatment of disabled passengers, airlines have continued their behavior undeterred. While the industry as a whole is complicit in this issue, two airlines seem to stand above the rest in the worst way possible: Air Canada and United Airlines.
My last airline story was about Air Canada, so I guess it’s United’s turn.
A recent Reuters article announced that United had reached an over $30 million settlement in a 2019 lawsuit with the family of Nathaniel Foster Jr. The details of this lawsuit are horrific, and they demonstrate that disabled people aren’t just risking their equipment when they fly; they’re risking their lives.
Nathaniel Foster Jr., known to his family as NJ, was a biology major and aspiring neurosurgeon when he was hit by a car in 2016. The accident paralyzed NJ from the neck down, resulting in him using a power chair, tracheostomy, and ventilator, and derailing his surgical plans.
Over the next two years, NJ worked through his rehabilitation. He returned to his studies in college, and he developed a passion for creating and producing music.
