Brooklyn Subway & Bus Accident Lawyers Assist Those Injured While Utilizing
the MTA Throughout New York City

Aggressive Personal Injury Attorneys Fight for Full Compensation

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) governs most of the New York City
bus lines. If you are involved in a New York City bus accident, you must
file a no-fault insurance claim with your own car insurance company or
the insurance company of a person in your household. However, many New
Yorkers do not own a vehicle and therefore do not have an insurance policy.
These bus passengers must file claims against the MTA if they are injured.
The MTA provides up to $50,000 in no-fault benefits, regardless of the
severity of the injury. If you meet the threshold of a “serious
injury” under state law, you may file a lawsuit to cover additional
medical costs, lost wages and compensation for pain and suffering.

Understanding What It Means to Claim Damages From the MTA

The Metropolitan Transit Authority oversees more than just the bus and
subway lines of the five boroughs. The MTA is a public benefit corporation
encompassing numerous subsidiary agencies, including the Long Island Rail
Road, the Metro-North Railroad, the MTA Staten Island Railway, MTA Capital
Construction and MTA Regional Bus Operations. If you are injured on the
grounds or equipment of any of these systems, the defendant in your case
will likely be the MTA.

This raises a few issues. First, you’d be suing a government agency,
which requires you to file a notice of claim within 90 days of the incident
that caused your injuries. You must be careful to name the proper subsidiary
agency in your notice or your claim can be denied. Secondly, since the
MTA is self-insured, it has a vested interest in limiting its losses,
so it would rather pay lawyers to fight your claim than hand over what
your injuries are worth. In short, an injury claim against the MTA is
often a David versus Goliath battle, so you need experienced and knowledgeable
attorneys on your side.

Injuries From MTA Bus Accidents

You can sustain injuries while boarding a bus or while the vehicle is in
transit. Many bus accidents in New York are caused by:

• Driver negligence
• Driver inexperience
• Driver fatigue
• Slippery floors and stairs
• Sudden stops
• Hazardous bus stops
• Inadequate safety and security
• Mechanical failures
• Rowdy passengers

Such accidents could cause minor injuries, such as cuts and bruising, or
major health problems, including brain injury and even death.

Safety Concerns on New York City’s Subways

The MTA also operates the NYC subway system, which transports about 5.7
million passengers on any given weekday. In 2017, the MTA reported a customer
injury rate of 2.82 per million subway riders. That’s 16 people
a day suffering an injury serious enough to file a legal claim. These
injuries include:

• Falling or being struck due to an abrupt, sudden stop
• Slipping and falling due to slick surfaces or debris
• Getting pinned between a platform and a train because of gaps
• Falling onto the tracks from a platform

The sad truth is that New York has not kept pace with safety innovations
seen all over the world. The subway system, with virtually every platform
lacking safety guards, presents significant dangers, especially given
the crushing volume of ridership.

More NY Subway & Bus Accidents Headlines

Contact a Personal Injury Law Firm With the Resources to Take On the MTA

Rubenstein & Rynecki and its predecessor firms have represented victims
of bus and subway accidents since 1972. If you or a loved one has been
hurt in a transit accident, you may be entitled to money damages, and
Rubenstein & Rynecki may be able to help.

Call
(718) 522-1020 or
contact us online today for a free consultation. No recovery, no fee.