Over 100 commuters suffered injuries earlier this month when a train on the city’s Long Island Railroad collided with a safety barrier at the station. The early morning train accident in Brooklyn happened right in the middle of rush hour on Wednesday January 4th. It’s estimated that the train was packed with nearly 700 people on board when something went terribly wrong.
At 8:20 in the morning the train was pulling into the station when it failed to stop and smashed into a bumper block-a safety device in place to prevent a derailment. Officials say that a piece of steel actually pierced the bottom of the train and lifted at least one car up and off the tracks. 100 of the passengers reported relatively minor injuries after falling and crashing into each other as the cars came to an abrupt standstill. Other victims were taken to nearby hospitals for further evaluation-one with a broken leg.
Tom Prendergast, chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said that the engineer was likely responsible for the train smashing into the bumping block at the end of the line. The train was travelling at a speed less than 15 miles per hour at the time of the crash and, Prendergast noted, should have been completely under the control of the engineer.
While the list of injuries from this latest train accident in New York City appears to be minor (bumps, bruises, and a few reports of lacerations) even a day away from work can cost a busy New Yorker hundreds of dollars. Unfortunately, those that were transported to hospitals are facing not only time out of work but a painful recovery period as well.
If you’ve been injured in a train accident, New York City, MTA and/or the New York City Transit Authority could be found held responsible for your injuries and lost wages. Contact an experienced New York City train accident attorney at the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation. Call 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 today.