United Airlines Faces Lawsuit Over 6-Year-Old Burned by Hot Meal

A couple has filed a lawsuit against United Airlines, alleging that their 6-year-old daughter suffered burns and disfigurement due to a hot meal incident during a July 2022 flight from Tel Aviv to Newark. According to the lawsuit filed last week, a flight attendant handed a hot meal to Michal Fefferman, who placed it on a defective tray table in front of her daughter, referred to as O.F. The tray slid off, causing the hot food to spill onto O.F.'s lap, resulting in severe burn injuries.

The lawsuit contends that the meal tray was faulty, tilting downward toward O.F.'s seat, and the hot food caused unreasonable burns. The girl reportedly endured "extreme discomfort" for the remainder of the 12-hour flight due to insufficient medical supplies on the plane.

The parents allege negligence on the part of United Airlines, claiming unsafe food temperatures, failure to maintain, inspect, and repair tray tables, and a lack of access to medical equipment. The suit also asserts that the child suffered scarring, disfigurement, humiliation, and emotional distress.

Seeking both past and future non-economic damages, the lawsuit covers injuries, burns, disfigurement, scarring, neurological deficits, pain, suffering, mental anguish, and more. The parents have requested a jury trial and seek compensation exceeding $75,000 to cover medical costs and damages.

United Airlines has stated they cannot comment on pending litigation