Lawsuit Claims Seat Belt Saved Passenger's Life in Alaska Airlines Mid-Air Blowout

A new lawsuit claims that a passenger's life was saved by a seatbelt when a door panel blew out midair on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 flight in January. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of seven passengers, alleges physical and psychological trauma due to the incident and seeks damages for negligence and failure to ensure the aircraft's safety. The National Transportation Safety Board found that bolts had not been installed on the door plug, prompting increased oversight over Boeing aircraft production and temporary grounding of Boeing 737 Max 9 airplanes in the U.S.