This Disability Activist Died After an Airline Broke Her Wheelchair
Los Angeles Times, attorney Joshua Markowitz intends to file a lawsuit on behalf of surviving siblings Lettice Mahoney and Sandi Porter.
They say Figueroa, a well-known disability activist and vegan with a strong following on social media, died as a result of injuries caused after United Airlines destroyed her wheelchair last July when she returned to Los Angeles from the Can’t Wait Care Rally in Washington D.C Figueroa described the ordeal as it happened in a video posted to Facebook.
Her customized chair had been fitted to Figueroa’s body to keep her body proper aligned and pressure off her damaged spine. According to Markowitz, the wheelchair provided to Figueroa by the airline was inadequate for her condition, and resulted in the inflammation of a healing pressure sore and later infection.
The airline offered to repair the wheelchair, but Figueroa sought a replacement as repaired motorized wheelchairs can be more susceptible to fires and further breakdown.
