4 American Airlines flight attendants were awarded over $1 million by a grand jury in California last week after it was found their uniforms contained toxic chemicals that created a slew of health problems.
In 2017, flight attendants sued Twin Hill, the uniform manufacturer, after claiming that traces of formaldehyde and toluene were present in their garments which led to health problems akin to rashes, headaches, trouble respiration, and swollen eyes.
“I might get up and my eyes can be completely swollen. I looked like I had been in a boxing match,” alleged one in all the flight attendants, Tracey Silver-Charan, per the Associated Press. “I used to be unable to breathe. I often felt like I used to be going to pass out on the job. I used to be coming home and my husband was running me to the urgent care.”
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A judge has not yet affirmed the jury’s decision, but lawyers representing the flight attendants explained that the step is merely a technicality.
The difficulty with the uniforms arose when American Airlines switched uniforms for flight attendants in 2016.
The uniforms made by Twin Hill were found to be a “substantial consider causing harm” to the flight attendants by the jury, though Twin Hill was not found to be negligent within the design of the uniforms.
American Airlines didn’t immediately reply to Entrepreneur’s request for comment.