Public transportation is popular in New York City. The city’s bus system serves more riders than any other metropolitan bus network in the country, for a total of about 764 million rides in 2016. That’s about 2.4 million rides each week. NYC’s busiest bus route carries more than 15 million passengers each year, and six other routes top 10 million.
While those numbers dwarf bus ridership in most other U.S. cities, buses account for only a fraction of public transportation usage in the city. The New York subway system provides more than 1.7 billion rides annually.
Given the large number of passengers, employees, buses, routes, subway stations, rail lines and trains, it’s no surprise that accidents happen. Some mass transit injuries are directly transportation-related. For example:
- A pedestrian or bicyclist is hit by a bus
- A bus passenger is injured in a traffic accident
- A driver of or passenger in another vehicle is injured in a bus crash
- A subway passenger is injured when a train derails
- A subway passenger is injured when the train lurches or makes an abrupt stop
Dozens of people are struck and killed by New York subway trains each year.
However, many mass-transit-related accidents occur in other ways, and are similar to injuries that might take place in any other context. For example, a passenger may slip and fall on a wet subway platform, or may trip on the crowded stairway.
Compensation for New York Mass Transit Injuries
If you’ve been seriously injured in a New York mass transit accident, suffered an injury on mass transit property, or lost a loved one in a New York subway accident or bush crash, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Some past cases handled by Dansker & Aspromonte Associates LLP’s New York mass transit accident lawyers include:
- A $1.34 million verdict on behalf of a 56-year-old who was injured when she tripped on an exposed telephone wire on a New York subway platform.
- A $3.5 million verdict on behalf of a woman who suffered multiple injuries when a New York subway car derailed.
- A $6.3 million verdict on behalf of a woman who was struck by a speeding police motor scooter.
However, securing fair compensation after a New York mass transit injury can be complicated for several reasons. First, pursuing a personal injury claim against a governmental unit triggers additional procedural requirements, including a very short notice period compared with other types of personal injury cases.
Second, mass transit accidents often involve multiple parties, complex equipment, specialized safety procedures, and other complexities that make assembling evidence and constructing the case more challenging. Not every personal injury law firm has the knowledge, resources, and network of experts necessary to successfully litigate a mass transit injury case.
For a free legal consultation, call (212) 540-2984
Talk to a New York Mass Transit Injury Attorney as Soon as Possible
If you’ve been injured in a New York mass transit accident or on MTA property, schedule a free consultation right now to learn more about your rights and options. Time is of the essence.
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