0
A GOLD Coast mother hit on the head by a falling suitcase on a Virgin Airlines flight is suing for almost $500,000 damages, claiming her husband has since had to take over the housework.
Iranian-born Azadeh Laghai had just settled in her aisle seat on a flight from the Gold Coast to Melbourne on January 31 last year when a flight attendant opened a compartment above her - causing a 7kg-8kg bag to fall on her head.
The 46-year-old mother of two claimed the incident left her with ongoing neck, arm and hand pain that required medication and physiotherapy.
She claimed Virgin paid for two initial physiotherapy sessions but refused further visits, despite a neurosurgeon diagnosing her with a chronic soft tissue injury around her cervical spine.
Mrs Laghai claims she had been debilitated by her injuries and, due to her Middle-Eastern background, she felt great guilt that her husband Siamak Laghai and teenage son had been forced to take over most of the domestic duties at their home.
Within the claim she is asking for $36,720 to compensate for her husband taking over her domestic chores including cleaning, grocery shopping and massage for 15 hours a week at a rate of $34 an hour over the past 18 months.
She is also claiming $7344 for her 13-year-old son, who spends three hours a week doing chores including emptying the dishwasher, tidying up, watering flowers, walking the dog and unpacking shopping.
Mrs Laghai, who works as Woolworths accounts manager, claimed the injury also prevented her from driving as she no longer had the strength to grip a steering wheel and she could only work on a computer for a short time without pain.
In the filed claim Mrs Laghai said the pain and exhaustion caused by her injury had limited her ability to parent her two sons, aged seven and 13, and had affected her marriage.
She is claiming $60,000 for pain, suffering and loss, $20,000 in special damages, travel and medical costs, $150,000 for future economic loss and $120,000 for future damages.
Maurice Blackburn lawyer Anna Morgan said the firm was negotiating for fair compensation for the debilitating injury.
The airline's insurers are expected to file a defence shortly.
source
