Delta Airlines Sued by Man Who Claims Stray Needle in Seat Pocket Gave Him HIV Scare

A man named Gabriel Ybarra is suing Delta Airlines because he said a stray needle left in a seat pocket forced him to get an HIV test.

A syringe.
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Unapproved Source: Pixabay

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A syringe.

If you're the type of person who's really uneasy about flying, then this story may not be great for you. But, hey, you already clicked, so screw it—just go ahead and read and give yourself some serious anxiety.

According to TMZ, a man named Gabriel Ybarra has filed a lawsuit against Delta Airlines, after he says he was pricked by a random needle while he was reaching into a seat pocket to grab his wallet. Ybarra says that the gross incident occurred when he was taking a flight to Atlanta from Los Angeles, and that he had to pull the needle out of his middle finger. He further added that when he did pull this needle out, his digit started "bleeding profusely," and that his "life flashed in front of him."

Ybarra says he then went to the doctor, which seems advisable in this situation, and that he underwent tests and was prescribed medications to safeguard him against catching anything, especially HIV.

TMZ reports that Ybarra's legal filing claims his medications carried with them a number of side effects that lasted for months, including dizziness, headaches and body aches, and also "explosive diarrhea." As if that didn't all sound miserable enough, Ybarra claimed that he was unable to carry out his "duties as a husband to his wife for months." Use your imagination for that one.

The litigation was co-signed by Ybarra's wife. And though Delta did not comment on it, a spokesperson said that he was "dismayed by what this customer describes in the suit."

Hey, we're all dismayed by this one. Sounds like just one more thing to stress over when it comes to air travel.

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