In a heart-wrenching turn of events, negligence in the handling of an “air ambulance” service resulted in the loss of a life and subsequent legal action. Angelo Mark Papalia, grieving the loss of his critically ill wife, sought recourse against Charter Jet One, LLC, a charter company, and Richard Berger for their role in the tragic incident. After a prolonged legal battle, a court has ordered a substantial settlement in favor of Papalia for a whopping $1,010,446.
The ordeal began on January 4, 2017, when Papalia urgently required medical transport for his ailing wife. Entrusting Charter Jet One and Richard Berger with the task, Papalia believed they would provide the necessary assistance. However, instead of assigning a suitable aircraft equipped to meet his wife’s critical medical needs, It was found Berger negligently chose an improper aircraft, likely prioritizing profit over passenger welfare. As the flight time approached, it became evident that the chosen aircraft lacked essential medical equipment, forcing a last-minute cancellation. Tragically, Papalia’s wife passed away before any alternative arrangements could be made.
Compounding the distress, when Papalia sought to cancel the service due to the inability to transport his wife, Charter Jet One and Richard Berger demanded full payment, refusing any reimbursement.
Faced with this harrowing situation, Papalia pursued legal action, citing contractual agreements mandating arbitration in case of disputes. Following a protracted legal process, Papalia was awarded a substantial settlement to cover his expenses and losses incurred as a result of Berger’s negligent actions. However, despite the court’s directive, Charter Jet One and Richard Berger failed to comply with the settlement terms.
Despite Berger’s attempts to evade responsibility, the court ruled in Papalia’s favor, underscoring the severity of his negligence, which led to irreplaceable loss and suffering.
Despite the tragic outcome and their role in the loss of a life, Charter Jet One continues to promote themselves as a medivac company specializing in emergency and non-emergency air ambulance flights. Their website boldly asserts, “We will handle every aspect of your medical transport and provide the best quality medical transportation.” They encourage those in need of air ambulance transport to contact them promptly, emphasizing their purported “perfect air ambulance safety record” and boasting of “hundreds of air ambulance flights offering air medical transport.” However, the stark reality of Papalia’s experience casts doubt on these claims, revealing a pattern of negligence and disregard for passenger safety that resulted in devastating consequences. Such contradictions highlight the importance of scrutinizing claims made by companies, especially in critical fields like medical transport, to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals in need.