Lubbock Woman Sues Continental Airlines for Mental Trauma

A Lubbock resident is suing four airlines for mental trauma she says she experienced during a turbulent flight. Among the airlines Colleen O’Neal is suing is Continental Airlines. The Huston Chronicle reports that on October 29^th 2009 O’Neal departed on a flight from college Station to Houston, the same day tornadoes and thunderstorms were reported in the region.

O’Neal claims that extreme turbulence caused the 20 minute flight to last two hours, and that the plane lost power and fell repeatedly. In the lawsuit, filed in the Harris County district court, O’Neal says she has suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and fears of flying, which have prevented her from holding jobs requiring air travel. The suit also names Pinnacle, United Airlines, and Colgan Air.