Upon reaching the destination, Christman was initially hospitalized in Rome, and later in the US where he had to undergo surgery to remove his gastric bypass and gallbladder. The victim alleges that the airline was responsible for making his condition worse by delaying medical held.
Emergency landings and flight diversions are tough decisions for airlines as it can invite the ire of other passengers, besides the huge expenses incurred for the same. Only last month, rival American Airlines (AAL) was sued under similar circumstances for wrongful death. According to that suit, a 25-year-old woman died after suffering from an embolism in 2016 as the airline refused to divert, neglecting the recommendation put forth by a doctor who was on the same flight.
Meanwhile, United Airlines has recently seen a notorious streak of horrible public relations. This includes one incident where a passenger was dragged out of an over-booked airliner, and another where a dog died after being stored in the overhead bin.