Commuters Sustain More Injuries During MTA’s ‘Summer of Hell
January 2, 2018 in Motor Vehicle Accidents
Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo, P.C. represents victims of train crashes, derailments and various railroad and subway accident cases.
A trash fire at a 145th Street subway station in Harlem yesterday affected tens of thousands of commuters on the A, B, C, and D lines. Nine people were taken to area hospitals for minor injuries, officials said.
This incident is just one of many during what riders have dubbed the “summer of hell” — a series of several track closings on the subways and Long Island Railroad branches throughout the summer to allow workers to make infrastructure repairs.
Yesterday’s fire and this morning’s LIRR derailment on the Long Beach branch — during which no injuries were reportedly sustained — occurred just two weeks after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency to suspend procurement rules for the MTA. This action allows the MTA to speed up repairs to trains and track work and purchase material and equipment that will replace an outdated infrastructure.
The press conference was held two days after the ‘A’ subway train’s derailment between 135th and 125th streets, which MTA Chairman Joe Lhota attributed to “an improperly secured rail on trackbed” caused by “human error.” Passengers affected by the June 27th derailment took to social media to report accounts of dust inhalation and news outlets reported minor injuries.
The MTA has been subject to scrutiny and public outcry after months of frequent train accidents, increasing safety concerns and complaints about delays and service disruptions on the LIRR, New Jersey Transit and the New York City subway system. Recent accidents include the September 2016 NJ Transit crash in Hoboken, New Jersey, and the LIRR derailment at Atlantic Terminal, Brooklyn in January 2017. Both of those incidents injured at least 100 people.
Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo & Cannavo recently represented the estate of a passenger killed in the Dec. 1, 2013, Metro-North Hudson Line crash, which settled for $4 million. If you have been injured while taking MTA-provided transportation, contact us immediately for a free consultation.