The family of a disabled Florida woman who fell to her death from a Southwest Airlines jetway Sunday is filing a wrongful-death lawsuit against the company, The Post has learned.
Gabby Isolin, 25, who suffers from a genetic muscle disorder, was “thrown” from her wheelchair when employees allegedly helped push her down the Gateway Bridge after pleading for help. Refused to do it.
Assouline fell on her head, causing severe injuries that left her paralyzed from the neck down, according to her devastated relatives, and died on Sunday after 11 months in a hospital bed. passed away.
“What was a negligence case will now become a wrongful death case,” her attorney, Robert Solomon, told The Post on Thursday. “Gabby did everything here, and now the family is mourning his death.”
Assouline was traveling from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida to visit her sister in Denver last February when the tragedy occurred.
His parents had previously sued Southwest for negligence, hoping to recover costs associated with Isolin’s multimillion-dollar medical bills and other expenses related to the injury. The lawyer said that he is now refiling the case by amending it.
Expecting her to eventually return home, her mother, Sandra Isolin, had spent a lot of money to prepare her residence to accommodate Gabby’s special needs, Solomon said.
The lawyer added that the airline has maintained Assouline’s refusal to assist, and that they are not at fault in the matter.
“Southwest has crossed its arms and is blaming Gabby,” he said. “She fought for 11 months. Her family fought for 11 months. Now I will fight on their behalf.”
Suleiman asserted that staff shortages and scheduling issues at the airline contributed to their inability to fulfill Asoline’s request.
“You have a family that was hoping for him to come home,” he said. “But there were complications, and now he’s sitting.”
The airline addressed Assouline’s death in a statement this week.
“Southwest offers its sincere condolences to Ms. Assouline’s family, friends and all the lives she touched,” it read. “We have been committed to caring for our people and customers for more than 51 years and will continue to engage with all parties involved.”
The airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the wrongful-death lawsuit.
Suleiman said he expected the gathering to begin soon, along with an inspection of the area of the airport where the crash occurred.
“Gabby was a careful woman, a college graduate,” she said. “She had planned the trip with her mother. It was her first time flying alone. It should never have happened.”
Her mother, Sandra Isolin, said her daughter was aware of her condition after the accident.
“The fear and pain she shows in her eyes when she wakes up in those brief moments of lucidity is too much to bear,” her mother said at the time.
A GoFundMe page Assouline has raised more than $137,000 as of Thursday.
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