Nancy Zeal, et al. v. Spirit Airlines, Inc., et al.

Cleveland, Ohio personal injury lawyers represented the Plaintiffs.

On August 10, 2023, Plaintiffs Nancy Zeal and Lawrence Zeal (together, "Plaintiffs”)

filed a complaint in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. The five-count complaint

named as defendants Spirit Airlines, Inc. ("Spirit Airlines”),1 Huntleigh USA Corporation

("Huntleigh”), the City of Cleveland, the City of Cleveland Department of Port Control,

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Cleveland Airports Systems (together with the other

Cleveland entities, the "CLE Defendants”), and John Does 1 through 5. Counts 1 and 3 assert a

negligence claim against Spirit Airlines and Huntleigh. Count 2 asserts an implied contract

claim against Spirit Airlines. Count 4 asserts a negligence claim against the CLE Defendants.

Lastly, Count 5 asserts a loss of consortium claim against all defendants. The facts giving rise to

the lawsuit occurred two years prior.



In August 2021, Plaintiffs purchased tickets for a flight on Spirit Airlines. (Doc. No. 1-3,

¶ 7.) Plaintiffs allege that because Plaintiff Lawrence Zeal is disabled, they made a specific

request for wheelchair assistance from the ticket counter to the departure gate. (Id.) As alleged

in the complaint, Spirit Airlines contracts with Huntleigh to provide wheelchair assistance at

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. (Id. at. ¶¶ 3–4.) The following day, Plaintiffs allege

that they arrived at the airport, obtained a wheelchair for Plaintiff Lawrence Zeal at the ticket

level doorway, and proceeded to Spirit Airlines' ticket counter. (Id. at ¶ 9.) When Plaintiffs

presented themselves at the ticket counter, Spirit Airlines' employees allegedly ignored them and

did not provide Plaintiffs with assistance. (Id. at ¶ 10.) Plaintiffs allege that, because they were

ignored, Plaintiff Nancy Zeal was required to push Plaintiff Lawrence Zeal herself from the

ticket counter to the departure gate. (Id. at ¶ 11.) When Plaintiff Nancy Zeal was pushing

Plaintiff Lawrence Zeal down the concourse ramp, "she lost her grip on the handles of the

wheelchair due to the overall weight of the wheelchair and her husband, causing her to lose her

balance and fall violently against a brick wall . . . .” (Id. at ¶ 12.) As a result of the incident,

Plaintiff Nancy Zeal suffered a laceration to the head, a fractured elbow, and other permanent

physical and emotional injuries.



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Settled for an undisclosed sum and dismissed with prejudice.