(ReclaimingAmerica.net) – American Airlines lost the prosthetic leg of a Missouri man and has refused to reimburse him for the device that costs almost $27,000, a report reveals.
Michael Williams of St. Louis, Missouri, has been trying to get compensated by American Airlines since the airline lost the baggage with his much-needed prosthetic leg back in 2020, Fox2Now reveals, as cited by The New York Post.
“You can’t do this to somebody that’s disabled: Just say, ‘Hey, we lost something of yours, but we’re not going to pay for it,’” complained the owner of the missing aluminum leg.
He revealed the leg went missing when he flew from Indianapolis to Charlotte on his way home in 2020.
“The special-made leg, I put it in my suitcase. I put the sticker on it that says “fragile.” I gave it to the young lady at American Airlines when I was checking in. When I get to St. Louis airport, they roll me downstairs to baggage claim. I’m sitting there waiting for my luggage to come off, and never comes off,” Williams recounted.
After that, he followed AA’s delayed or damaged baggage protocols and submitted a claim, only to receive a reimbursement check for slightly over $600.
“When I spoke with the young lady that was handling the claim, she told me this was to cover the clothes that you lost. I was like, ‘Ok, fine, great,” he said.
Williams kept communicating with American Airlines about reimbursement for his lost prosthetic leg.
“We don’t have enough proof or evidence to pay for the leg, so we’re not going to pay for the leg,” an airline representative told him, according to the disabled man.
This led him to hire a lawyer to negotiate with American Airlines on his behalf.
The Missouri man said the artificial leg cost $26,650, and it was a perfect fit for him.
“When you find the one that works, that’s the one you want to hold onto,” Williams said.
He said he still hoped the airline would rethink his case and decide to compensate him so he could replace the lost artificial limb.
“It’s to the point where I don’t want to fly. I feel like if I fly again, what if I have to fly with my wheelchair and they lose my wheelchair this time,” Williams said.
“And they tell me, ‘We lost your power wheelchair, but hey, we’re not going to do anything about it.’ It’s like, what do you do?” the man wondered.
Has an airline ever lost your luggage or even something else? Share your story by emailing [email protected]. Thank you.
Not gonna fly! Missouri man says American Airlines lost his prosthetic leg https://t.co/SRTmsYbyhw pic.twitter.com/Pu4GVs5rBT
— New York Post (@nypost) May 10, 2023
