The subway and the trains are part of the reason New York City is not even more crowded than it already is. But just as cars can cause accidents anywhere on the road, cars on the rails can be just as deadly on their own tracks or if they jump the tracks.
One woman may know that better than anyone. She fell into the path of an oncoming train and suffered a severe injury to her leg. She was struck again by another train less than half an hour later, leading to a double amputation and six weeks of recovery at a Manhattan hospital.
Police and emergency service workers who rescued her said that her survival of the twin accident could be considered a "miracle." Although she is grateful for her life and the care she received from New York physicians and nurses, she faces a lifetime of consequences from the collisions in her homeland of Australia.
In some cases, accidents like these may be the responsibility of the people and municipal authorities who maintain transit and stations. Wet floor surfaces, unmarked hazard areas and other failures or negligence can lead to serious problems for people just looking to pay for a ride. When this happens, it is the authorities that should pay.
An attorney can look at individual cases of mass transit accidents and help victims work out their options for financial damages if someone was liable for the cause. Money can hardly make up for a serious injury or loss of life, but it can help people recover.