Lufthansa Ordered to Pay Heart Attack Victim:...

Lufthansa Ordered to Pay Heart Attack Victim: When Leonard Krys began suffering classic symptoms of a heart attack just 1 1/2 hours into a Lufthansa flight, the airline put his life in jeopardy by continuing to fly from Miami to Germany, a judge ruled. For taking that risk, the Frankfurt, Germany-based carrier has been ordered to pay $2.7 million in damages to Krys, who survived the heart attack. The airline is appealing the Feb. 4 ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge Linnea R. Johnson and refused to comment on the case. However, industry officials said the suit has prompted airlines to review their medical emergency procedures. Krys was an apparently healthy 47-year-old when he left Miami for a business trip to Frankfurt, said Krys’ attorney, Tod Aronovitz. Somewhere off the coast of Georgia, Krys began experiencing the classic symptoms of a heart attack--including chest pain, profuse sweating and ashen skin, court records show. “They could have landed anywhere from Atlanta, up the east coast, all the way to Gander, Newfoundland,” Aronovitz said. Instead, the nonstop flight continued for an additional 8 1/2 hours, landing in Frankfurt, where Krys was rushed to a hospital. In making her ruling, Johnson said Krys’ life expectancy has been significantly reduced because of Lufthansa’s negligence. The heart attack caused significant damage to his anterior chamber heart wall.