‘Excruciating’: Amtrak Putting Up a Fight Against New York Woman Left with Permanent Scarring After Hot Tea Burned Her Thigh, Says Injury Caused by Her Own Negligence

A New York woman is suing Amtrak, claiming she suffered severe burns when a sudden jolt by the train caused hot tea to spill onto her legs during a summer trip last year. Ophelia Rawles, 62, of Harlem, claims she sustained her injuries during a sudden train jolt just before departing Penn Station on July 19, 2023, forcing her to endure the eight-hour journey in agony. According to court papers, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, Rawles was on her way to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to visit family when the train jerked forward, tipping her cup and splashing hot liquid everywhere, leaving her wincing in pain. Amtrak is fighting a lawsuit brought by woman who claims an unexpected jolt from the train caused her to suffer severe burns from hot tea. (Credit: Getty Images) “It took my breath away,” said the retired NYPD clerical worker, according to the New York Post. To make matters worse, Rawles was wearing shorts at the time, leaving her legs exposed with no barrier to protect her from the scalding tea. “The pain was excruciating. I could have had a heart attack,” she added. Moments earlier, she picked up the tea from the commissary, where...