By Len Patel
AsAmNews Correspondent
Dr. David Dao, the passenger forcibly removed from a United Airplane, suffered a concussion during the incident, said Thomas Demetrio, the family’s attorney.
He also revealed the 69-year-old man suffered a serious broken nose, injury to his sinuses and and will be undergoing reconstructive surgery. Dao also lost two teeth.
“We were completely horrified and shocked of what had happened to my father when we learned of the incident,” said Crystal Pepper. Dr. Dao’s daughter. “Seeing it on video made those emotions exacerbated. My dad is healing right now.”
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Her father was released from the hospital last night. The family says it has not been contacted by the airline. The attorney said Oscar Munoz misspoke yesterday when he said he had. Demetrio went on to say the family accepts Munoz’ public apology.
However, he also called the apology staged saying it was made at the advice of public relations specialist.
“My dad is a wonderful father,” said Pepper. “He has raised with my mother five great children. He is a loving grandfather. At the end of the day, that is the person who we are trying to protect and take care of.”
Demetrio said Dao is currently in hiding, primarily to stay away from the media. He promised Dao would eventually speak to reporters and asked that they respect his privacy.
During the incident, the doctor was heard uttering “just kill me, just kill me.” A reporter asked what he meant by that.
“He left Vietnam in 1975 when Saigon fell,” said Demetrio. “He was on a boat. He said he was terrified. He said being dragged down the aisle was more horrifying and harrowing than when he left Vietnam.”
Demetrio says his client has zero memory of running back on the plane after he was dragged off.
The attorney called for airlines to take a serious look at its overbooking policies.
Officers from the Department of Aviation violently dragged the doctor off the plane, but Demetrio says United’s pilot was in charge of the plane and was responsible for stopping the officers from using force.
“The pilot controls everything. He’s the boss, the captain of the ship,” said Demetrio.
Demetrio said he hopes his client becomes “a poster child for all of us.”
“It took something like this to get a conversation going and I think it will continue.”
Earlier Demetrio said he did not think what happened to the doctor was due to his race.
Demetrio made it clear the family would be filing a lawsuit, but was not ready to do so at this time.
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