Every year dozens of subway accidents in New York City call into question the safety of the mass transit system. On February 16th, 51-year old Edward Leonard got dragged behind a moving train. Investigators are still trying to get to the bottom of this latest fatal subway accident in New York City but it appears as if Mr. Leonard was entering the F Train at Union Turnpike-Kew Gardens Station in Queens when the doors closed on him. He somehow became trapped, could not was unable to free himself, and was pulled train for 20 yards before coming to a stop.
Mr. Leonard ended up battered and bloody on the train platform, barely breathing. Although rescue crews arrived within minutes and rushed Mr. Leonard to Jamaica Queens Hospital, he later succumbed to his injuries.
Eyewitness accounts of this latest subway accident in New York City paint a horrifying picture. One woman told reporters that it appeared as if an article of the victim’s clothing either snagged on the door’s mechanism or became trapped between the two doors as they closed. She said that Mr. Leonard was frantically banging on the side of the train car trying to get the engineer or any of the passengers to notice.
Initial reports indicate that the train operator and conductor weren’t aware that a passenger was in danger. The question becomes why they weren’t aware. If a passenger is trapped between the subway doors, why wasn’t there a warning device alerting the operator or conductor of the train. As a routine part of the investigation, the crew was tested for the presence of drugs or alcohol in their blood streams. or
Victims or their surviving family members can seek financial compensation if they can prove that the actions of MTA or train crew were responsible or contributed to a subway accident.
If you or a family member has been injured in subway accident, contact an expert New York City subway accident attorney immediately to safeguard your rights. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122.