Cold
: A flight attendant who should have been on one of the death flights of September 11 — but who took a vacation day — has been unable to work since but she was just denied workers’ comp. From the Star-Ledger:
This is the legacy of Sept. 11, 2001: Even the lucky ones suffer.
United Airlines flight attendant Kim Stroka had been scheduled to work Flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco, but took the day off to look after her daughter. She was on her way to pick up the girl from school when she learned the plane had been hijacked by terrorists and crashed in Shanksville, Pa., killing all aboard.
Distraught that a co-worker had died in her place, Stroka had difficulty eating and sleeping. She could not return to work. A psychologist treated her for post-traumatic stress disorder and a workers’ compensation judge awarded her medical and disability payments.
Yesterday brought her more bad news. A state appeals court ruled Stroka, 43, of Howell is not entitled to collect workers’ compensation because “her disability did not arise in the course of her employment.”
They’re afraid of setting a precedent. Jeesh. The judges and the airline should be ashamed.
