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Air Rage Complaint Against Continental

CHICAGO (CN) - A woman claims she suffered memory loss because an enraged Continental Airlines flight attendant, "punching and beating" a bag that didn't fit in an overhead bin, "filled the plane with a palatable uneasiness," and made her bonk her head.

Tracy Richardson sued Continental Airlines and affiliates in Cook County Court.

Richardson says that in returning from a work trip to Texas in January 2010 she stashed her luggage in an overhead bin and sat down to await takeoff.

"However, one of the overhead luggage compartments did not close because someone's bag did not quite fit," the complaint states. "For unknown reasons, this seemingly minor event caused the flight attendant, John Doe, to lose control. John Doe began punching and beating the bag while screaming, 'Whose bag is this? If you don't come get it I'm going to put you and bag off the plane!' John Doe's uncontrolled behavior immediately silenced the plane and filled the plane with a palatable uneasiness. John Doe continued screaming, 'Whose bag is this!'"

Richardson got up to take a look and see if it was her bag.

It was, so she took it and "began trying to walk back to her seat with the bag in hand," the complaint states.

It continues: "Unfortunately, plaintiff claiming the bag did not satisfy John Doe and he continued his tirade. As plaintiff returned to her seat, John Doe became even more aggressive and his behavior even more outrageous. John Doe physically shadowed plaintiff's every move and continued screaming.

"Frightened, overwhelmed, fearing physical assault, and in fear for her own safety, plaintiff rushed to sit down as John Doe continued screaming and continued his physically aggressive behavior. Plaintiff was trying to find her seat as quickly as possible to satisfy John Doe and stop the abuse. In the rush to sit down, plaintiff's head struck the overhead bin.

"The force of the impact caused plaintiff's head to begin pounding immediately.

Remarkably, even after watching plaintiff suffer injury as a result of his outrageous behavior, John Doe continued screaming at the plaintiff, yelling 'You're not gonna die!'

"For the remainder of the flight, plaintiff experienced a severe headache. Hoping the headache would resolve quickly, plaintiff took some over the counter medicine, but the headache continued. After the plane landed and as she began to deplane, plaintiff quickly realized that she was stumbling over her own feet. The pounding headache continued and plaintiff did not feel well. Eventually, plaintiff made her way to her car and sat down in the driver's seat. Sadly, for the first time in her life, plaintiff could not remember the directions to drive home. To find her way hone, to her own house, plaintiff had to follow a GPS system. As she entered the garage, plaintiff could not judge the clearance on her garage and hit the side mirror on the garage. Plaintiff called Continental Airlines the next day and made a formal complaint."

Richardson seeks damages for assault, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

She is represented by Tim Maloney with Maloney & Campolo.

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