HAL sued for not airlifting stroke victim from ship
The family of an Illinois woman is suing Holland America saying she suffered unnecessary lasting damage due to the line’s refusal to airlift her to a medical facility.
Lila Graciela Kohn Gale suffered a stroke on the ship and is now confined to a nursing home.
The lawsuit filed by her son claims there was a 15-hour delay in receiving adequate treatment.
According to the suit, Mrs Gale was diagnosed with ‘severe stroke’ by senior doctor on Holland America’s MS Zuiderdam and recommended a CT scan and to see a neurologist.
The doctor noted that her condition was deteriorating.
MS Zuiderdam was only about 100 miles from the US coastline at the time.
Instead of an airlift she was put on a tug boat to a hospital in Freeport, Bahamas, which didn’t have a neurosurgery department or a working CT scan, it alleges.
"Any reasonably prudent healthcare provider in Dr. Socrates Lopez’s position would have known that a medical air-evacuation to a comprehensive stroke center was medically necessary," the suit stated.
The doctor in the Bahamas said she needed to be transferred to a stroke centre but by this time the airport was closed.
It would then take another 12 hours before she reached Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.
The delay allegedly caused a worsening condition to go untreated which led to permanent damage.
"They had a duty to tend to her, and by not doing so, they added to her damage," said husband John Gale.
HAL declined to make a public comment ‘out of respect for the family involved.’
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers