The year is 1904. New York City has seen tremendous growth, and city officials have set into motion a plan that will transform its public transportation system: the subway. Mayor Geo. B McClellan says in the opening ceremony, “Without rapid transit Greater New York would be little more than a geographical expression. It is no exaggeration to say that without interborough communication, Greater New York would never have come into being.” At the end of that same ceremony, just before the very first subway train took off, August Belmont said to the mayor, “[I] request that you put in operation this great road, and start it on his course of success, and, I hope, of safety” (from nycsubway.org).
Ironically, although the very last word that was spoken before the first NY subway ride was “safety,” there have been countless accidents related to the subway in the 110+ years of its operation. It was as if that first train was so excited to pioneer those underground tunnels that it didn’t pay attention to the words of warning with which it was being sent off. While there have been significant improvements to the safety of the NYC subway system over the last century, accidents happen on a regular basis. When these accidents do occur, it is essential that legal action be taken.
Greenberg & Stein offer subway accident lawyer consultations to NYC subway victims.
Here are a few of the types of accidents that can happen on or near the subway for which the transit authorities may be held responsible:
• Operator negligence
• Sudden stops
• Closing doors
• Subway crashes or derailings
• Turn style injuries
• Electrocutions
• Slips, trips, or falls that occur as a result of:
• Broken stairs or platforms
• Broken escalators
• Broken or defective equipment
• Slippery floors
• Poor lighting
• Hidden debris
• Obstructed warning signs
• Negligent maintenance
Note that this is not an exhaustive list of subway accident occurrences, so if you or a loved one has experienced an accident related to the NYC subway system, contact a subway accident lawyer to discuss your rights.
As a passenger of the NYC subway system, you have a right to safety and to be protected from any harm or danger. Therefore, when accidents occur on subway trains or in a subway station, your rights have been violated. And when your rights have been violated due to the negligence or poor maintenance of NYC subway employees, the city itself could be held responsible.
One of the rules that the transit authority has set up to protect the city from liability is a time limit on how long after an accident you are allowed to file a claim against the city. If you are injured in any facility or by a vehicle owned or operated by the New York City Transit Authority, you MUST file a notice of claim within 90 days of the accident or your claim will be denied regardless of merit.
This rule is just one of the many hoops you might have to jump through when dealing with the legal side of a subway accident. So, it is imperative that you contact a subway accident lawyer, such as the experienced attorneys at Greenberg & Stein, as soon as possible after an accident so that your case will be considered.
At Greenberg & Stein, P.C., our dedicated lawyers are committed to defending your subway accident case in all of the Burroughs of New York City: Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Suffolk & Nassau. We have worked with numerous subway accident cases in these areas of NYC and are “intimately familiar” with the language of the laws of transportation in the city.
We are here to help ease your pain and suffering after your subway accident. Allow us to take on the burden of recovering your financial losses due to this unfortunate event, so that you can focus on the things that really matter. Call us today for a consultation.
To schedule an initial case consultation contact our firm today! Our NYC Office Location 360 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1501, New York, NY 10017
Call us: 888-411-3966
Email us anytime: cases@greenbergandstein.com
