Woman Seeks Rs 12 Crore Compensation After 'Traumatic' Incident In Flight Turbulence

A JetBlue passenger, Tahjana Lewis, is pursuing legal action against the airline following a “traumatic” incident on her flight from Orlando, Florida, to Hartford, Connecticut. Lewis claims that she suffered severe burns when hot tea was spilt on her during turbulence while the “fasten seat belt” sign was illuminated, which she considers a dangerous situation for serving hot beverages. Alleging that the tea served to another passenger was excessively hot and hazardous, she sustained painful burns on her chest, legs, right arm, and other parts of her body. Lewis is seeking $1.5 million (approximately Rs 12 Crore) in damages from the airline as a result of the incident.

As per the lawsuit, the passenger is suing the airlines for failing “to adhere to proper protocols for the preparation and service of hot beverages during in-flight service. They negligently and carelessly served passengers hot beverages. They failed to provide for the plaintiff reasonably safe travelling conditions and properly administer first aid to the plaintiff after she was injured,” as reported by Fox Business.

Meanwhile, Tahjana Lewis’ attorney, Edward A Jazlowiecki told USA Today, “That’s something they shouldn’t have done. This is a serious issue for them. They didn’t do much for her. They were very cavalier about it.” Reportedly, Lewis was on board the JetBlue flight with her 5-year-old daughter and the incident was deeply traumatic for the young child to witness.

Tahjana Lewis is also going through mental anguish, anxiety and post-traumatic stress from the injury. Her attorney also suggests that she may also require a skin transplant to treat her injuries, some of which “will be permanent in nature and/or permanently disabling.” The lawsuit also says that the burns have affected her ability to work and participate in her day-to-day activities.

This isn’t the first time a company has faced legal issues for spilling a hot drink on a customer. Last year, an 85-year-old woman filed a case against McDonald’s, claiming she received a cup of coffee with a lid that wasn’t properly secured. When she attempted to drink the beverage, the lid came off and her body was severely burned. According to the Washington Post, she suffered first and second-degree burns from the incident, while restaurant workers didn’t even bother to help her.