Attorney
If you have been following our blog, you may be aware that there was a smoke incident near L’Enfant Plaza on January 12, resulting in dozens of injuries and the death of one person.
Metro officials have provided very little detail about what occurred during the incident, although preliminary reports indicate there was a severe electrical malfunction that resulted in smoke filling tunnel areas.
The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the incident, but that has not stopped victims from moving forward with litigation. According to the Washington Post, the family of Carol Glover, the Alexandria woman who died in the incident, has filed a $10 million lawsuit against Metro.
The lawsuit claims that the transportation provider “should have had plans in place to evacuate people from the train,” according to the Post. Keep in mind, the office of D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser released a report indicating that it took rescuers more than 35 minutes to begin evacuating passengers in the tunnel.
In addition to the damning report by the Mayor’s office, the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 said in a blog post that Metro has “woefully neglected its safety culture.”
Jackie Jeter, president of the union, said Metro “has failed to provide adequate safety and emergency training for rail operators,” the Post reported.
Additional lawsuits against Metro are expected to be filed over the upcoming weeks.
Speaking to an Attorney About a Public Transportation Accident
If you are ever involved in a public transportation accident and you have suffered injuries, it may be in your best interest to speak to an attorney as soon as possible about litigation.
Unfortunately, in many injury cases, there are statute of limitations, meaning if you wait too long to file a claim, you could potentially miss your opportunity to hold an agency liable. This is why it is not uncommon to see lawsuits filed quickly after an incident or crash has taken place.
It is sad that so many people had to suffer due to the alleged negligence of Metro operators. Continue to follow our blog about this incident—we will keep you up to date on any news surrounding lawsuits.
For more information about public transportation accidents, continue to follow our blog. Our attorneys assist injury victims in Fairfax County, Prince William County, Loudoun County and Arlington County.
Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis L.L.P.
Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia Injury Attorneys