Passenger who witnessed woman get sucked out of Southwest Airlines is now suing the airline for PTSD
Southwest Airlines is being sued by a passenger after a woman was partially sucked out of a window when an engine blew during a flight and he had to witness the freak incident.
On Thursday, Zachary Coleman claimed he has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder ever since the harrowing flight in April and thus filed a lawsuit against the airline in New York.
On April 17, Coleman was on board Flight 1380 flying to Dallas from New York when one of the aircraft's twin engines exploded at 32,000 feet, terrorizing all 149 passengers on the plane.
Debris from the impact shattered a window on the plane and sucked out New Mexico bank executive Jennifer Riordan partially, prompting passengers to rush to her rescue. However, the mother-of-two was fatally injured in the accident.
According to the lawsuit obtained by Daily Mail, Coleman was sitting eight rows behind Riordan when the disaster unfolded.
Coleman claims in his suit that he suffered "severe personal injuries" since the petrifying ordeal.
The suit lists his injuries, which reportedly include "post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, emotional distress, depression, personal injuries to his body including the physical manifestations of the emotional and mental trauma he experienced and continues to suffer."
As Riordan was pulled through the shattered window, Coleman says he "witnessed the horror" and looked on as passengers "risked their lives" to help the victim, according to court documents.
"The engine failure and breach of the window caused severe vibrations and the cabin environment to become a whirlwind of airflow and airborne debris which struck Mr Coleman and obstructed is breathing," the lawsuit states.
"The environment exacerbated Mr. Coleman's panic and horror in the midst of the violent conditions within the cabin.
"He prayed and feared for his life, he heard other passengers using their cell phones to reach out to loved one to say their final goodbyes, and he thought he was going to die."
And so Coleman is looking to be compensated for damages, including the mental, emotional and physical pain and suffering he has endured as well as loss of earnings.
The suit further states that by failing to inspect the plane's engines for 'signs of impending catastrophic failure' before takeoff, Southwest Airlines breached its duty of care towards passengers.
Just 20 minutes into the flight, the plane had to make an emergency landing in Philadelphia.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, one of the engine fan blades snapped midflight.
Southwest Airlines has already compensated each passenger with a $1,000 gift voucher and a $5,000 check for the trauma they suffered.