A man was killed in a tragic subway accident in New York earlier this month while riding the R Train. The victim, an unnamed individual in his 40s-was on the R Train at around 1:15 PM in the afternoon of June 10 when tragedy struck. The man was attempting to move from one car to the next when he apparently slipped and fell. He was struck by the wheels of at least one following car.
The train made an immediate emergency stop and EMTs were called to the scene, however, the individual was declared dead at the scene.
An investigation into the accident was launched and will determine if inadequate safety measures to prevent such movement had been installed on the R Train or if those safety measures failed to operate in a manner in which they were designed to do. If safety measures were not installed or it is discovered that safety measures malfunctioned due to a mechanical failure, improper installation or maintenance, the City of New York and/or New York City Transit could be held financially liable for the victim’s death.
In such cases, the agency could be held responsible for the cost of the individual’s funeral, pain and suffering for the time the victim survived after the accident and the financial support that the victim would have contributed to his surviving family over the victim’s work lifetime.
Under NYC law, walking between subway cars while trains are in motion is prohibited unless an emergency makes doing so necessary. The violation is punishable by a $75 fine, however, that technicality does not automatically absolve the City or Transit Authority of liability. Indeed, if the situation arises that passengers must exit through the doors between cars, it is their responsibility to ensure the traveling public can travers safely and that there are certain safety measures in place to prevent such accidents.
If you have been injured while using mass transit in NYC, contact an experienced New York City subway accident lawyer immediately. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at or 212-385-1122 today.