Brooklyn Subway Accident Lawyer

Brooklyn Subway Accident Lawyer

Were you recently injured in a subway accident in Brooklyn, NY? Whether you were a subway passenger, slipped and fell on the subway platform, or hit by a train, you may deserve compensation. An experienced Brooklyn subway accident lawyer at Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more.

Our award-winning trial lawyers are known for going above and beyond for our injured clients. By putting over 40 years of combined experience to work in each case, we’ve helped accident victims like you recover tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts.

Recovering fair compensation isn’t always easy. We’re here to use our experience to your advantage. Contact our law firm in Brooklyn, New York, at (212) 514-5007 to schedule a free consultation today.

Why Should I Call Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers for Help After a Subway Accident in Brooklyn, NY?

Why Should I Call Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers for Help After a Subway Accident in Brooklyn, NY?

Accidents involving public transportation can be particularly complicated. Multiple parties may share responsibility. As a passenger, it can be difficult to understand exactly what happened–especially when some type of train malfunction was involved. On top of everything else, you may be facing off against a well-funded government transit agency.

An experienced Brooklyn personal injury lawyer can make a huge difference. At Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers, our attorneys have been listed by Super Lawyers and America’s Top 100 Attorneys. We’ve also earned a perfect 10 Avvo rating for our legal services.

While you focus on your recovery, our lawyers will:

  • Investigate to prove what caused your accident
  • Search for evidence, including National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports and NYPD accident reports
  • Determine who is ultimately responsible for your damages
  • Calculate the fair value of your personal injury claim
  • Defend you if you’re blamed for causing the accident yourself
  • Handle the detailed paperwork that’s involved in subway accident cases
  • Negotiate with the MTA, at-fault parties, and insurance companies for a fair deal

To learn more about how our experienced team can help, call for a free consultation with our Brooklyn personal injury attorneys today.

How Common Are Subway Accidents in New York City?

The New York City subway system is the busiest public transit system in the United States–and the seventh busiest in the world. There are 170 subway stations in Brooklyn alone. Operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), over 5 million riders use the subways every day.

In 2022 alone, 88 deaths on subway tracks were reported across NYC. Of that total, 42 deaths were blamed on collisions with trains. In addition, 1,365 subway track incidents were reported that year (about 15% of those incidents were accidental falls or medical emergencies).

While major train derailments and collisions are relatively rare, they can and do happen. However, subway passengers are much more likely to be injured due to dangerous subway conditions and intentional violence.

What Causes Most Subway Accidents in Brooklyn, NYC?

Like any car accident, most subway accidents happen because someone was negligent. However, unlike in your typical car accident case, multiple parties are often involved. There are also many different types of subway accidents. The NYC mass transit system is extremely complex.

At Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers, we often handle subway accident claims involving:

  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Negligent security and intentional violence
  • Passengers who are caught between doors
  • Defects in the subway’s safety mechanisms
  • Train derailments and collisions
  • Electrocution and electric shock
  • Mechanical failures
  • Fires 

Someone who wasn’t even present when you got hurt could ultimately be responsible for your damages. That makes it particularly important to identify all factors that played a role in causing your accident.

Some of the most common causes of subway accidents include:

  • Failure to maintain subway stations or subway tracks in safe condition
  • Distracted train operators
  • Drug or alcohol use
  • Hiring inexperienced and untrained subway train operators (negligent hiring)
  • Failure to properly screen and supervise MTA employees
  • Failure to train employees and train operators to respond to risks of violence
  • Signal errors
  • Speeding
  • Defective subway turnstiles 
  • Lack of proper safety barriers or guardrails
  • Sudden stops
  • Damaged escalators or elevators
  • Negligent or reckless subway passengers

The subway is one of the most convenient ways to get around the city. That said, it’s not always the safest. If you were injured in a subway accident in Brooklyn, call our law offices for a free case review today.

How Much Money Is My Brooklyn Subway Accident Case Worth?

To know how much your personal injury case is worth, you must consider a number of different factors.

When we’re calculating your case value, our lawyers will evaluate:

  • The severity of your injuries
  • Whether your doctor expects you to make a full recovery or suffer a permanent disability
  • Whether you’re forced to miss work and lose income during recovery
  • How the injury is expected to impact your future earnings and quality of life
  • How the trauma of the accident and injury has impacted your mental health
  • The cost of your medical treatment
  • Your anticipated future costs, including medical care, rehab, and other expenses
  • Whether you contributed to the accident in any way

Every situation is unique. We can offer more specific preliminary information on your potential case value during a free case review. Call Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with our Brooklyn subway accident attorneys today.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Subway Accident Victims in Brooklyn?

Injury victims in New York can seek compensation for economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages offset the financial costs associated with an accident and injury, including:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Reduced earning potential
  • Physical therapy
  • In-home assistance
  • Nursing care
  • Medications and medical devices
  • Property damage

Non-economic damages compensate victims for trauma and other losses that don’t have a set financial value, including:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Anxiety
  • Depression 
  • PTSD
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Physical disfigurement and scarring
  • Loss of consortium

If the defendant’s acts were intentional or especially shocking, you may also be entitled to punitive damages. These damages are awarded as punishment rather than to compensate for specific losses.

How Can Sharing Blame for a Subway Accident in Brooklyn Impact My Compensation Award?

New York follows a pure comparative negligence law. You won’t lose your right to compensation unless you are 100% responsible for your own injuries.

Sharing fault will impact the amount of money you take home. Your compensation will be reduced according to your share of fault. So, if you were 25% responsible for your injuries, you’re still entitled to 75% of your compensation award.

Having a qualified personal injury attorney on your side is the best way to protect your interests and ensure you are not assigned undue blame.

Our Attorneys in Brooklyn Will Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Injuries

At Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of injury cases.

Common types of train accident injuries include: 

Our wrongful death lawyers in Brooklyn can also help you fight to recover compensation if you have lost a loved one in a fatal subway incident.

How Do I Prove I Deserve Compensation After a Subway Accident in Brooklyn? 

Most subway accidents happen because someone was negligent. 

Negligence means proving:

In cases involving accidents, you must basically prove that the defendant failed to exercise reasonable caution and that failure caused your injuries.

Even if you were attacked, it’s possible that you could have a claim for compensation against someone other than your assailant. Government transit authorities are responsible for providing reasonably safe conditions for passengers. That means installing adequate security.

Subway accident claims involving violence are often based on negligent security. If criminal attacks are reasonably foreseeable, the property owner is responsible for taking reasonable steps to prevent them. That could include providing physical security guards, installing cameras, providing adequate lighting, and more, based on the facts of the case. 

In subway assault cases, the responsible authorities would be the public transit authorities.

How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Subway Accident in New York?

The deadline for taking legal action depends on the identity of the responsible party.

When the defendant is a private party, the New York statute of limitations gives you three years to file a personal injury lawsuit. The three-year clock starts on the date of your accident.

You have less time to act if the defendant is a government authority. So, if the MTA or New York City Transit Authority were responsible, you must file a notice of claim within 90 days of the accident. The notice gives these government authorities notice that you intend to seek compensation for your injuries.

In total, you have one year and 90 days to formally file a claim for compensation against the relevant government authority.

Contact a Brooklyn Subway Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Were you recently involved in a subway accident in Brooklyn? Contact us today at (212) 514-5007 for legal advice today. An experienced Brooklyn subway accident lawyer can help you fight for every dollar you deserve.