Posted on 11/05/2021 4:21:22 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
Engracia Figueroa, an impassioned activist for people with disabilities, died after complications from injuries she sustained in July when her custom wheelchair was destroyed by United Airlines.
Figueroa's passing was announced by Hand in Hand, a national network of domestic workers who advocate for dignified working conditions, of which she was a member of the California chapter.
“Engracia Figueroa, a fierce advocate for people with disabilities, passed away on Sunday due to complications from injuries she sustained when United Airlines destroyed her custom wheelchair last July.” #FlyingWhileDisabled #Disability.....
"Her struggle to maintain her balance over that length of time in the faulty device led to significant injuries. When she was finally able to return home, she experienced acute pain, and was admitted to the hospital multiple times in the subsequent months," the organization wrote on its website. "Not only did United Airlines refuse to replace the demolished wheelchair, insisting that it could be repaired, but the loaner chair they provided further exacerbated her injuries."
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
How did she survive before the custom wheelchair? Why not use that system instead of the UA wheelchair?
Note what the article says: "an impassioned activist for people with disabilities"
Depending on the needs, a custom chair is required. A one-size-fits-all essentially fits none. These custom chairs that fit the individual’s bodies are very expensive. As to how she originally got it is irrelevant. The issue is that United broke it, failed to replace it under their own policies, and she incurred severe injuries directly tied to the issue.
United has a terrible track record of destroying personal property.
There’s a song about it written few years ago.
Trouble is, most airlines probably have the same record.
I don’t really know what to think other than the industry is terrible for personal property.
:: an impassioned activist for people with disabilities ::
Can’t use other means?
Or, is that “impassioned...activist” the driving force?
“United Breaks Guitars”. Funny song, and seems to described this situation perfectly.
The airlines are terrible.
But $30,000 for a replacement? If the loaner did her in it sounds like she was too fragile to risk damage to her custom chair through air travel. Or should have had some sort of super-duper insurance for an immediate, wherever you are, custom replacement, which would have been exorbitant if even possible.
At least she did not die of COVID /s
“Depending on the needs, a custom chair is required. A one-size-fits-all essentially fits none.” Agree
“These custom chairs that fit the individual’s bodies are very expensive. As to how she originally got it is irrelevant” Agree
“The issue is that United broke it, failed to replace it under their own policies, and she incurred severe injuries directly tied to the issue.” Disagree, this is a secondary issue.
The primary issue is survival. While how she got the original chair is irrelevant, how she survived while waiting for that original chair to be designed and built is not. Why did she continue to use the UA chair instead of reverting to past measures?
Furthermore there are limits to liabilities. And even if UA had initially owned up to replacing the chair, how long would that take? I very much doubt their was a replacement chair just waiting to be bought.
The bottom line to me is that if the chair is that critical, there needs to be a backup system incase of catastrophe. Where was that backup system?
Maybe, Did they already have contractual obligations regarding personal property or was she warned that things can break?
Those are important questions.
I think air travel has serious problems with it to begin with. Mostly we’ve grown to comfortable with the idea of a flying bus.
And what do you use in the interim?
This article sounds more like opening arguments in a lawsuit then it sounds like a news story.
Each disabled wheelchair user is different—no single solution works in the longterm. I have used a manual wheelchair for sixty years and have had several broken or destroyed by airlines during my forty year work career. Airlines are notorious for damaged DME.
>>This article sounds more like opening arguments in a lawsuit then it sounds like a news story.
Yep. A story most likely written and distributed by the law firm hoping to get a big payout no doubt.
Something ain't right here. Makes no sense.
Sounds like the family has filed a wrongful death suit.
And what was so special about her custom wheelchair? Does that just mean it was sized for her? Or did it serve her tea at three?
“The organization claims that the loaner chair provided by the airline did not properly support Figueroa’s body or properly distribute her weight.
This caused her to develop a skin ulcer, which became infected, and Figueroa experienced gastrointestinal issues that made it difficult to eat, Hand in Hand said.”
Skin ulcers can be deadly to those who are confined to wheelchairs or beds. People in wheelchairs have to constantly be checked for skin ulcers, especially since the off the shelf, one size fits all chairs fit no one very well.
Patients confined to beds have to be turned and repositioned several times a day to avoid the ulcers.
If I had a device or equipment or some human element that I required for my health and very existence, that did not function properly and/or that was dangerous to me I would not use it.
This is equivalent to me of taking my car to the mechanic and getting it back in an unsafe to use/dangerous condition and obtaining another vehicle that was also unsafe and using it resulted in my injury or death. I would walk, bike, or use public transportation until the situation had been rectified.
Then why did she use it?
“Figueroa’s passing was announced by Hand in Hand, a national network of domestic workers who advocate for dignified working conditions, of which she was a member of the California chapter.”
She cleaned houses? In a wheelchair?
“The airlines are terrible.
But $30,000 for a replacement? “
Seems very reasonable to me, of course we’ve spent >$200,000 on medical issues this year.
I believe we all agree that most, if not all, airlines don’t give a damn.
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