Passenger sues Southwest Airlines after fatal engine explosion

A passenger who survived the engline failure of Flight 1380 filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines this week.

Lilia Chavez, a California citizen, says she is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and is suing the air carrier because they failed to warn passengers of the aircraft's defects, according to KPCC.

Screenshot via United Press International

California native and plane survivor Lilia Chavez sued Southwest Airlines.

On April 17, she boarded the Boeing 737 that would lead to engine failure soon after taking off from New York's LaGuardia Airport, resulting in the death of a woman and injuries of multiple passenger. Flight 1380 was headed for Dallas but safely made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.

Chavez's lawyer, Bradley Stoll, said her client is a successfull woman who takes care of her family.

"This accident has crippled her will," he said, according to KPCC, "She is in shock over this horrible, near-death experience."

Southwest Airlines earlier this week canceled about 40 flights to inspect the Boeing 737 engines similar to the one used on Flight 1380.