On a Frontier Airlines flight home from Myrtle Beach, South California, to Philadelphia, Sean Miller, 56, accidentally spilled some of his hot tea over himself on September 20. What followed was a very unpleasant and painful experience that forced him to the hospital, with Miller suffering severe third-degree burns.
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"The scalding hot water spilled between his legs, through his clothing and directly onto Mr. Miller's genitalia," reads Miller's lawsuit against the airline.
Not only was the initial burn itself very damaging to Miller, but the configuration of the seat itself made things terribly worse. "Due to the tightly-situated plane seat configuration, Mr. Miller was unable to get up from his seat after the spill and, instead, was trapped in agonizing pain while his body was being burnt," Adam S. Barrist, Miller's attorney, told The Independent.
As soon as the plane arrived at Myrtle Beach, emergency services rushed Miller to the Jefferson Methodist Hospital and then to the Jefferson University Burn Center to treat his burns. The lawsuit against the airline states that he suffered "highly unsightly and embarrassing discoloration on his penis, scrotum/testicles" and "significantly decreased sensation in his penis."
Additionally, Miller is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a "lack of self-esteem," and a herniated disc as a result of his struggling after the initial burn, according to the lawsuit.
A Scarring Accident
After getting treatment, Sean Miller was unable to work and also faced a "substantial" medical bill as a result of the accident. According to Barrist, Miller suffered "permanent scarring" and has been struggling with sexual dysfunction since.
Frontier Airlines, according to Miller's attorney, has not communicated with them. Miller and the defense argue that they should have been able to provide a drink that would have not posed a threat to him and his health.
"Despite multiple letters sent to Frontier Airlines via FedEx overnight courier, I have received no communication, of any kind, back from Frontier Airlines, concerning, among other issues, the payment of my client's past medical bills and payment for his ongoing treatment," Barrist told The Independent.
When contacted by the outlet, the airline didn't go into any specifics. "As a matter of standard practice, we don't comment on pending litigation," they answered in an email.
