The family of John William Cannon has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against American Airlines and its subsidiary, Envoy Air, in the District Court of Denver County, Colorado.
The lawsuit, filed by Cannon’s son on Tuesday, alleges that the airlines were negligent during a medical emergency Cannon suffered that led to his death on April 29, 2023. Cannon was 62 years old.
According to the complaint, the incident began on April 28, 2023, when Cannon boarded American Airlines flight 1444 from Louisville, Kentucky, to Dallas/Fort Worth.
During the flight and at the time of deboarding, he reportedly lost consciousness. The complaint stated that despite exhibiting signs of medical distress, Cannon was assisted only temporarily and was allowed to make his connecting flight, operated by Envoy Air, from Dallas/Fort Worth to Durango, Colorado.
During that second flight, Cannon’s condition worsened and became a medical crisis. The lawsuit claims that the crew delayed seeking medical assistance until after landing, further contributing to his deteriorating condition. Emergency services were called only after the flight landed and all passengers deplaned.
Despite emergency efforts during transport to the hospital, including CPR and defibrillator shocks, Cannon was pronounced dead the following morning.
Breach of Duty
The complaint accuses American Airlines and Envoy Air of multiple breaches of their duty of care, including failure to give adequate first aid, delaying medical intervention, and negligence in handling a passenger in a medical crisis.
Additionally, the lawsuit argues that the airlines failed in training their staff to handle such situations, citing violations of federal regulations that require training for in-flight medical emergencies.
Cannon’s family is seeking over $75,000 in damages. American told Fox News in a Friday report it was “reviewing the complaint.”
