NEW ORLEANS — A Minnesota couple is suing National Railroad Corporation d/b/a Amtrak, a rail passenger service provider, citing alleged negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Augustus and Beatrice Alvarez filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against National Railroad Corporation d/b/a Amtrak alleging that the rail passenger service provider violated the Rehabilitation Act and the Louisiana White Cane Law.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that, on Jan. 6, Augustus and Beatrice Alvarez were not allowed to board the Amtrak train for departure because of plaintiff Beatrice Alvarez’s power wheelchair. Plaintiffs and their daughter, Emily Etheridge, begged and pleaded with defendant's employee, Bruce Mullins, but to no avail. Plaintiffs were not able to get transportation back to Minneapolis until the next day. The plaintiffs holds National Railroad Corporation d/b/a Amtrak responsible because the defendant allegedly discriminated against them by not allowing them to board a passenger train and did not offer hotel accommodation, transportation to a hotel, or reimbursement for their unused tickets.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek permanent injunction against defendant to take all steps necessary to afford plaintiff ready access and use of its programs and services and to refrain from taking any action that discriminates against plaintiffs, award for damages, attorney fees, costs, and expenses and such other relief to which they may be entitled. They are represented by Sophia M. Mire, Laura Thornton and Ronald K. Lospennato of Advocacy Center in New Orleans and Barnett Rosenfield of Minnesota Disability Law Center in Minneapolis.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-14849