MBTA Accident Attorney

Millions of people rely on MBTA transportation to get them to work or another destination safely and efficiently. Sadly, unsafe MBTA vehicles and stations have caused innocent travelers to sustain severe and even fatal injuries.

Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers believes that everyone who uses MBTA transportation—whether daily commuters or occasional train and subway passengers—should be able to get to where they are going without incident.

If you have been injured in an MBTA accident, you need a law firm on your side that has had success in taking on this public agency. Our MBTA injury attorneys can help you resolve your claim and obtain full and fair compensation for any losses stemming from your accident.

Our Boston law firm has recovered tens of millions of dollars for thousands of clients in the city and beyond and can help you, too. Under our contingency arrangement, you pay nothing until we win your case and recover money for you. This system allows all MBTA accident victims access to top-tier legal representation, regardless of their financial situation.

MBTA injury cases have tight timeframes, so you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible to avoid missing out on your right to recovery.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, also known as the MBTA or "the T," is a government agency that operates most public transportation services in the greater Boston area and is a division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

The MBTA, along with Philadelphia's public transportation agency, are the only two transit agencies in the United States that operate five types of mass transit vehicles:

• Light rail vehicles (Ashmont-Mattapan High-Speed and Green Lines)
• Rapid transit trains (Blue, Orange, and Red Lines)
• Regional rail trains (Commuter Rail)
• Electric trolleybuses (Silver Line)
• Motor buses

The agency says it serves almost 200 cities and towns and more than one million daily riders.

The MBTA is the second-largest landowner in the state. It has an independent law enforcement agency known as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police.

If you read or view the news, you are undoubtedly aware of recent MBTA accidents that have injured and killed innocent people.

Here are some of the MBTA accidents that have recently rocked Boston:

• In April 2022, a 39-year-old Boston man was dragged to his death after his arm became trapped in a Red Line subway car door, officials said.

• In January 2022, an inbound commuter train hit a car in the crossing near the North Wilmington MBTA station and killed the driver. News reports said the crossing gates and flashing lights did not work to warn the motorist of the oncoming train.

• In September 2021, an ascending escalator at the Back Bay MBTA station suddenly reversed, causing those on the moving metal staircase to spill backward and nine people to be taken to local hospitals, according to news reports.

• In July 2021, a Green Line train rammed into the train ahead, reportedly causing more than two dozen people to need medical treatment, including three MBTA workers.

Unfortunately, the list goes on.

MBTA accidents are caused by a combination of factors, including human error and negligence by MBTA employees and the transportation authority itself. Keep in mind that the MBTA has been operating under a budget shortfall for a long time. Deficient funds, lax oversight, and aging infrastructure and vehicles have proven to be a recipe for tragic accidents. For example, some Red Line cars are more than 50 years old.

Regardless of the cause or who is to blame, an MBTA attorney can help you hold all at-fault parties accountable and obtain the compensation you deserve.

MBTA accidents are likely to occur when a train or subway operator is careless or reckless in operating the vehicle. In addition, unsafe conditions at MBTA train and subway stations can lead to various accidents and injuries. Platforms, stairs, escalators, and elevators should be kept clear and in good working order. Wet surfaces are slip-and-fall hazards. Subway and train cars, along with rails, tracks, warning lights, and other equipment, should be routinely inspected and serviced.

Here is a list of some different types of MBTA accidents our transit injury lawyers tend to see in our Boston office:

• Subway, train, trolley, or bus accident collision
• Passenger's arm, leg, or bag stuck in subway or train door and dragged
• Sudden stops
• Derailments
• Faulty brakes and other mechanical failures
• Deficient maintenance
• Defective signaling gear
• Equipment or debris on tracks
• Platform accidents
• Slip-and-fall accidents and falls from heights
• Dangerous premises and property defects
• Acts of violence (robberies and assaults)

Injuries in these accidents are almost always severe and often include:

• Lacerations
• Whiplash
• Broken bones
• Amputations
• Head and brain injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Paralysis
• Electrical shock and electrocution
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Wrongful death

Accident victims may need expensive medical treatment, hospitalization, and multiple surgeries and could require medical care for the rest of their lives.

If you and your lawyer can prove that the MBTA or another party is to blame for your injuries, you could qualify for certain damages, including:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of quality of life

If a family member died in an MBTA accident, you might be able to file a wrongful death suit. To be successful, you will need to show that the MBTA's negligence or the negligence of one of its employees or some other party caused your family member's death.

Your attorney will perform an investigation and identify all parties that may have caused or contributed to your MBTA accident.

In addition to the MBTA, liable parties may include:

• Subway, train, trolley, and bus operators, drivers, and crew members
• Equipment manufacturers
• Maintenance companies

You may be able to hold an MBTA driver or crew member liable if their negligence caused your injury. For example, if they were speeding or failed to check that passengers were safely on board before leaving the platform. Or if they were texting or talking on their cell phones instead of performing their job duties or were drunk or high. Subway and train operators may be tempted to speed if they run behind schedule. As an employer, the MBTA must ensure that crew members receive adequate training, and it has a duty to screen employees prior to hire.

If a defective subway door or malfunctioning escalator caused your MBTA accident, there is a possibility that you will be able to bring a product liability claim against the manufacturer. Subway doors are supposed to open if they sense an arm, leg, or other obstruction. However, if the sensors fail to work as intended, the manufacturer could be on the hook for causing your injuries.

Under state and federal law, the MBTA must inspect and perform routine maintenance services on vehicles and equipment. When the MBTA drops the ball, it can be held liable for accidents and injuries, as can any maintenance companies that performed shoddy or deficient work.

In addition, the transportation authority has a responsibility to keep its premises safe for users. For example, it should ensure that subway and train stations are well lit and that there are no slip-and-fall hazards on platforms, stairways, and other surfaces.

Your MBTA accident attorney may use a combination of witness statements, camera footage, subway or train maintenance records, and reports from industry experts to prove that the agency is responsible for your accident and injuries. Keep in mind that lawsuits against the MBTA are often complex as the MBTA is a government agency. For that reason, your lawyer should have experience in handling public transit injury cases.

If you are dealing with injuries connected to an MBTA accident, contact the transit injury attorneys at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers at (617) 777-7777 for a free and confidential consultation, or complete our online form.