The family of a British father who tragically died after failing to board his flight home, leaving his pregnant wife waiting at the airport, has filed a lawsuit against a hotel, accusing them of leaving him alone to die.
William Howell, 37, a Type 1 diabetic, fell seriously ill while preparing to board his Virgin flight back to the UK from Harry Reid International Airport on August 30, 2023.
Despite his condition, he was allowed to return to his hotel alone, where he was later found dead. His wife is now suing Aria Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, its security team, and an ambulance company, alleging wrongful death.
In Nevada, successful lawsuits of this nature can result in multi-million dollar settlements. The lawsuit details how Mr Howell’s flight was delayed as emergency assistance was sought.
He was placed in a wheelchair as a precaution, and medics Alexandra Gangemi and Dominique Johnson arrived to check his vitals at 8:46pm, noting high blood sugar levels. The lawsuit alleges that the medics spent no more than two minutes with Mr Howell before he signed a form refusing medical transport.
The court documents claim that the ambulance staff “did not properly inform decedent (Mr Howell) of the consequences of failing to seek attention, did not properly assess decedent’s mental capacity, did not perform the proper testing and did not follow policies and procedures.”
Despite his severe illness, Ms Howell was permitted to take an Uber back to the Aira Casino Hotel, where he was staying during his holiday. Upon arrival, Mr Howell, who hails from Newton Abbot, Devon, reportedly fell out of the taxi, reports the Mirror.
The lawsuit claims that despite being informed of his diabetic condition, hotel staff overlooked clear warning signs. Aria security assisted him to his previous room and new keys were issued at 10:10pm.
Although Mr Howell was escorted by staff back into the room, he was subsequently left alone. The next day, Emma Howell, pregnant with their second child, awaited her husband’s arrival at Heathrow Airport.
When he failed to show up, the family contacted the hotel and urged staff to check his room. His body was discovered inside the room by a Cisco employee around 12:24pm, nearly 14 hours after he was last seen.
The Las Vegas medical examiner later determined his cause of death to be diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition that can be treated with prompt medical intervention. His wife has since filed a five-count civil lawsuit in Nevada’s Eighth Judicial District Court, naming Aria, its parent company MGM Resorts International, Community Ambulance, the hotel’s security firm, and the two medics as defendants.
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The lawsuit further alleges gross negligence and wrongful acts that directly resulted in his death. It also asserts that had Mr Howell received appropriate care at any point at the airport or hotel, or even later that night, he would have likely survived.
However, it argues a series of failures led to his demise. Mr Howell’s family is seeking damages for negligence, emotional distress and financial loss.