If you have a spinal cord injury and require the use of mobility equipment you know how vital that equipment is. Our wheelchairs, walkers and powerchairs give us independence and autonomy. When that equipment is damaged, replacement and repair can take months, and our independence is threatened.
But airlines are notorious for damaging mobility devices and putting individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and other disabilities in this position. We take a risk when flying that we should not have to take. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, airlines mishandle an average of 1.5% of all wheelchairs and scooters they transport. That’s thousands of incidents every year. This is unacceptable.
That’s why The Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm is leading the charge to hold airlines accountable by collecting stories from individuals whose wheelchairs were damaged during air travel, resulting in a long and complicated repair process. Read more to see if you may be a good fit for this investigation
We’re collecting stories from individuals with SCI whose wheelchairs were damaged during air travel, resulting in a lengthy and complicated repair process.
You may be a good fit for this investigation if:
- Your personal, customized power or manual wheelchair was damaged during air travel The airline referred you to third parties for evaluation and repair
- Your wheelchair was not restored in a reasonable timeframe
- You were given a loaner that was not comparable or not safe
- You experienced loss of use, medical issues, missed work, or loss of independence as a result
Airlines don’t know anything about wheelchairs. After they damage one they hand off repair and replacement to third-party coordinators and vendors. These vendors aren’t responsible for the damages and don’t prioritize the repairs. That’s where delays and poor communication come in.
Negligent coordination of repairs and replacements and broken contract commitments about timelines or loaners have become typical but they are unfair. Wheelchair users should be entitled to standards for response times, comparable loaners, parts benchmarks, and transparent tracking.
When airlines damage wheelchairs they must be held accountable, not just for the repair, but for a timely repair. Communication and coordination between the airline and vendor needs improvement, and policies in place must reflect the importance of prioritizing timely repair. In the meantime, individuals whose mobility equipment has already been damaged must be compensated.
Some individuals with SCI report opting out of airline travel altogether to avoid the risk of damage to equipment. After all, we rely on these devices to get up, get around, go from point A to B, go to work. We cannot afford to wait for months on end.
Was your personal wheelchair damaged by an airline? Did you wait weeks or months for a comparable repair or replacement? If you believe your rights were violated, fill out the form.
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