May 9th’s subway accident in New York City marks the latest fatal encounter between an individual and a high-speed train in the NYC underground. The late-afternoon collision occurred at the 59th Street Station in Manhattan when the unnamed individual was struck and killed by the Northbound Lexington Avenue Express. Officials say that this serious rush hour accident is being investigated by the NYPD.
By the time paramedics arrived on scene, the man had already passed away and was declared dead at the scene. The NYPD investigation will center on whether the man was on the platform or the tracks at the time of the accident and whether this accident was a tragic misstep or a something more disturbing. Witnesses reportedly recall seeing the man fall from the platform but there is no indication, as yet, of what caused him to do so.
This latest tragedy adds fuel to the debate raging in NYC right now about the safety of the city’s subway system. On one side, safety advocates say that trains travel much too fast when coming into the stations and pedestrians are crammed into tight spaces much too close for comfort to the edges of platforms. MTA officials say that slowing trains by even a fraction would cause considerable (and costly) delays to the underground service across the city and installing safety devices on the platforms just isn’t a practical solution.
While the two sides duke it out, dozens of individuals are injured and a handful are killed every year on subway tracks around the city. In 2013, 53 people were killed by speeding trains and another 151 sent to hospitals. 2014 is already shaping up to fill a similar pattern.
Individuals injured in subway accidents in New York City and surviving family members of those killed on subway tracks may have legal options available to them. Contact an experienced New York subway attorney immediately to learn if a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit should be pursued to recover past and future lost wages, unpaid medical expenses, pain and suffering and more. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.