New York Subway Accident Attorneys

New York City Subway Accidents and Injuries

For as much as subways are a part of everyday life in New York City, they can also be a significant source of danger for commuters. Each year, thousands of people are hurt on the various station platforms and subway cars scattered throughout the boroughs. Death is an all-too-frequent occurrence as well, with over 50 people killed along subway lines every year.

If you or a loved one has recently been injured while using the New York City subway system, it’s in your best interest to seek legal representation; the sooner, the better. As New Yorkers and subway riders, the attorneys at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, have been representing victims of subway accidents for decades. The injuries from these accidents are typically severe and sometimes require significant amounts of time and money to fully recover from. With our help, you’ll be able to recover the damages owed to you and begin the healing process without worrying about the financial burden subway accidents tend to bring.

The statute of limitations in the state of New York limits the time in which you can file a suit. Additionally, many city agencies require documentation involving subway accidents even sooner than that. The longer you wait to file your claim, the harder it will be to build a strong case in your favor.

Evidence, memories, and witnesses tend to disappear over time, making it much more difficult to make your case unless you contact a top NY personal injury law firm immediately. Call Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, at (212) 986-7353 for a free and confidential case evaluation, and we’ll help you get started on the road to full recovery.

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What Kind of Subway Accidents Do You Handle?

Unfortunately, accidents on and around subway platforms are not limited to the trains themselves. Whether you’ve been struck by an inbound subway or robbed at gunpoint while waiting for a train, our firm can help. Even if you’ve slipped and fallen on the stairs while walking into a station, you may be able to file for compensation if you can prove that negligence played a significant factor in causing your injuries. No matter what your circumstance, the New York personal injury lawyers at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, have the experience, knowledge, and resources to always represent your best interests.

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Who Is Responsible for a Subway Accident?

In general, because the Transit Authority monitors, maintains, and provides upkeep on the hundreds of miles of track throughout the metro area, it is usually held accountable for such accidents. If the Transit Authority fails to provide a safe and secure environment for commuters to use the city’s mass transit lines, it can most definitely be held liable. However, there may be more than one at-fault party involved, which is why it is extremely important to speak with a dedicated personal injury attorney early on. While you may assume that the Transit Authority is the only at-fault party, there could be multiple other parties that contributed towards your injuries and that should ultimately be held accountable for their actions, or lack thereof.

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Subway Derailment

Sometimes, something can happen that makes a train leave the rails. This is referred to as a derailment. This can be a relatively minor situation, like a partial derailment, or far more serious one where the train comes completely off the track and flips over as it stops. Even in "minor" derailments, however, people are usually injured and the entire experience can be terrifying and traumatic.

In a derailment, the ultimate cause of the accident usually indicates whether some sort of negligence was at play or not. While it is true that sometimes accidents just happen, subways are massive systems designed with oversight and built to keep them running safely for decades. A tremendous amount of time and money goes into making sure subway systems are safe, so when something like a derailment does happen, it usually means that one or more people made a mistake that caused it, such as leaving debris on the tracks or failing to maintain safety standards.

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Who Is Liable After a Derailment?

Liability comes down to showing negligence and then proving that the negligent act directly resulted in the victim’s injury. In some cases, only a single person or agency might be liable, while in other situations there can be multiple parties at fault. Consider a derailment caused by a piece of a rail that is left between the tracks. While the workers who left the rail behind are liable for the derailment, there can be other people involved. Their manager and others higher up in the Transit Authority, for example, could have told them to leave the rail there, or it could be part of common practices that are known to be unsafe. These are all liability concerns that can be very difficult to explore without an experienced lawyer by your side to look at the evidence from every angle.

Factors that contributed to the accident have liability, too. For example, a subway train might have a faulty braking system that was not properly maintained or repaired. If a derailment is caused by debris on the tracks, then the brakes might come into play during the accident. What this means is that multiple forms of negligence can come together to cause an accident, and more than one person or agency might be partially liable for injuries.

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Why Should I Hire a NYC Subway Accident Lawyer from WRSMH?

Simply put - when filing against the city, you need a law firm that has the past experience and know how to successfully represent you. Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, has been in business for over fifty years, and we’ve represented many victims who were on the receiving end of the Transit Authority’s negligence. We have the track record and reputation to prove it, and our case results speak for themselves. Don’t let your chance at compensation slip by - contact a New York train accident attorney at WRSMH today to set up a free consultation. Our number is (212) 986-7353.

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Additional Information

• Who is Responsible for a Slip, Trip, or Fall on a New York Bus or Subway?
• Deadly Train Crash Leads New Yorkers to Evaluate Safety While Utilizing Public Transportation This Holiday Season
• Study Examines Biggest Risks in Subway Travel
• Would Gates Help Protect New York Riders from Subway Accidents?
• New York Subway Accident Deaths Decreased in Recent Years but Injuries Continue to Rise