New York and New Jersey’s subway systems are irreplaceable to New York and New Jersey commuters. But over the last decade, we have seen a number of subway crashes and accidents that raise serious concerns about safety. Whether you use the Metro-North, the PATH rail system, the Newark Light Rail, or the Long Island Railroad (LIRR), if you are injured in an accident due to another party’s negligence, you may have a legal case.
Since these cases can be incredibly complicated, it may be in your best interest to work with a train accident attorney in New York or New Jersey. If you have suffered injuries in a subway accident, Buttafuoco & Associates can help you understand your rights and recover compensation you need to recover. Call 1-800-NOW-HURT for a free consultation.
Manhattan Subway Crash
In late January of 2024, a New York City subway train derailed after it was bumped by another train, injuring 20 people. Although the injuries were minor, seven people were taken to the hospital. The accident happened while both trains were headed north on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and sideswiped each other. Over 600 people had to be evacuated from three trains, which stopped service on the 1, 2, and 3 lines that afternoon. 20 emergency vehicles arrived to assist in the help efforts.
An immediate cause of the derailment wasn’t clear, but a later report stated that a vandal pulled the emergency brakes on the 1 line and the driver had to let passengers off at 79th street. The MTA then directed the crew to move the train to a railyard, but to do so they had to communicate by radio to ensure there would not be additional traffic on the tracks. For reasons that were unclear at the time, the train ran a red signal, resulting in the derailment.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the communication signal failed and the driver was not notified to stop.
The 24 injuries were not life-threatening, but the MTA’s systems are still being investigated by federal prosecutors, who have noted that the trains didn’t have cameras or data recorders, which are key to providing evidence of what happened.
While this is the most recent major subway crash in New York, there is a long history of serious crashes in the area. In December of 2013, 7 cars of a Metro-North passenger train headed from Poughkeepsie to New York City derailed, resulting in the deaths of four passengers and the injuries of 67 others. In this case, the engineer failed to use the brakes due to a sleep disorder he did not know he had.
In 2015, another major accident occurred when a Metro-North commuter train struck a car near Valhalla, killing 6 and injuring 15. In this case, the driver of the vehicle became stuck between the crossing gates. The jury determined that both the designer and the engineer were partially responsible for the accident.
In 2013, there were nearly 100 deaths caused by train accidents in New York. As you can see from these examples, cases like these can be incredibly complicated: when is the engineer at fault? What about the crew, the MTA itself, or in the most recent case, the company that manufactured the radios?
Common Subway Crash Causes
When it comes to subway accidents, most are caused by one of two things: human error or equipment failure. Sometimes the human error is on the part of the train engineer, while other times it is the fault of a driver, pedestrian, or transit employee trying to cross the tracks, or simply traveling too near to the moving subway train.
In terms of engineer error, we see the same types of negligence that we often see in car accidents: an engineer distracted by their phone, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, traveling too fast, or not following safety protocols.
Equipment failure can also include a variety of issues, from defective rails or a lack of track maintenance to brake failure, unbroken handrails, or defective communication equipment, as in the case above.
Who is Liable for my Subway Accident?
Liability is one area where subway accidents become extremely complicated, which makes working with an attorney essential. Sometimes liability is shared–if, for example, both the engineer and the driver are found to be at fault. In other cases, such as problematic systems or protocol, the municipal authority itself could be at fault. Commonly, the manufacturer of the train’s malfunctioning parts, or the company that maintains the tracks, is found responsible.
As you can see, subway crash cases require extensive investigation to identify the cause of the accident and determine whether a negligent party was involved.
This is where a subway accident attorney in New York or New Jersey can come in handy. Regardless of whether you were injured as a passenger, a driver, or a pedestrian, a subway accident attorney can help you navigate the legal complexities of these cases and recover the compensation you are entitled to. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, this could include medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of work, and more.
Get in Touch with a Subway Accident Attorney
Buttafuoco & Associates is a longtime support for New York and New Jersey citizens who have been injured in train accidents due to another’s negligence. We can help you determine whether or not you have a case, what its value is, and how best to proceed after an accident. Consultations are always free.
Get in touch today at 1-800-NOW-HURT.
