Nov. 14, 2025

Holding the MTA Liable for Platform Injuries

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Lawyers Practicing Personal Injury in Rockland County, NY

Subway platforms bustle with commuters, tourists, and service workers, but they’re not always safe. Slippery tiles, broken edges, overcrowding, or a lack of barriers can quickly turn routine travel into a traumatic injury. Suing the MTA isn’t straightforward, but under the right circumstances and with the help of a New York personal injury lawyer, it is absolutely possible.

MTA Liability: Who’s Responsible for a Platform Injury?

The MTA is a public authority, not a private company. That means it's shielded by legal protections that make lawsuits more complicated. The key to any successful MTA lawsuit is proving negligence: that the MTA or its employees failed to uphold their duty of care to passengers.

Platform injuries may arise from:

Crumbling platform edges or broken tiles
Poor lighting, causing trip-and-fall hazards
Lack of warning signs near known dangers
Inadequate crowd control during peak hours
Failure to install safety barriers near tracks
Improperly secured construction or maintenance zones

In each case, the question becomes whether the MTA knew (or should have known) about the hazard and failed to act.

What Makes Suing the MTA Different

Filing an MTA lawsuit is not the same as suing a private property owner or business. You must follow strict procedural rules and deadlines, or risk having your case dismissed before it’s even heard.

Notice of Claim

Before suing the MTA, you must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days of your injury. This notice must describe:

What happened
When and where it occurred
The nature of your injuries
Why do you believe the MTA was negligent

Without a properly filed Notice of Claim, your lawsuit cannot move forward, no matter how serious your injuries may be.

50-H Hearing

Once your Notice of Claim is submitted, the MTA may require you to attend a sworn, pre-trial deposition conducted by the MTA’s legal team. You’ll be asked detailed questions about how the accident occurred, your injuries, and any treatment or losses you've experienced. It shapes how the MTA approaches your claim.

Filing the Lawsuit

To pursue compensation formally, you must file your lawsuit against the MTA within one year and 90 days from the date of the accident. This statute of limitations is strictly enforced, and missing it can result in a complete loss of your legal right to seek damages.

These procedural requirements are non-negotiable. To protect your rights and avoid costly missteps, ask for legal consultation on how to navigate MTA lawsuits.

Examples of Platform Negligence That Can Lead to MTA Lawsuits

Not all platform injuries are actionable, but many stem from avoidable safety failures. Some real-world examples that could warrant legal action include:

A commuter slipping on a puddle near a leaky pipe, unmarked and uncleaned for hours.
A tourist tripping on a crumbling section of the platform edge.
A visually impaired rider was injured after falling off an unguarded platform lacking tactile warning strips.
An elderly passenger was struck by the train doors after employees failed to monitor safe boarding.

Each of these examples hinges on proving that the MTA knew (or should have known) about a dangerous condition and did nothing.

What Compensation Can Be Recovered in an MTA Lawsuit?

If your MTA attorney successfully proves negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for the following:

Medical bills and rehabilitation costs: Covers hospital stays, surgeries, medications, and ongoing physical therapy or other treatments needed to recover from your injuries.
Lost wages or diminished earning capacity: Compensates you for income missed while you’re unable to work and for any long‑term reduction in your ability to earn a living.
Pain and suffering: Provides damages for the physical pain, inconvenience, and long‑term discomfort caused by your injuries.
Permanent disability or disfigurement: Offers compensation when your injury leads to lasting physical limitations, scarring, or other life‑altering effects.
Emotional distress or PTSD: Addresses the psychological impact of the accident, such as anxiety, depression, or post‑traumatic stress disorder.
Loss of enjoyment of life: Recognizes the ways your injury prevents you from participating in activities, hobbies, or relationships you once enjoyed.

In tragic cases involving fatal platform accidents, families may also pursue wrongful death claims to recover funeral expenses, lost support, and other damages.

Challenges of Suing the MTA

Even if you have a strong case, the MTA employs seasoned legal teams whose job is to protect the agency’s interests. They may try to argue that:

“Open and obvious” defense:The MTA may argue that the hazard you encountered was clearly visible and could have been avoided with reasonable caution, which can significantly weaken your case.
Blaming the victim: MTA can assert that your own negligence contributed to the accident if you were distracted, in a rush, or standing too close to the platform edge.
Lack of notice:You must often prove that MTA should have known about the dangerous condition. The agency may claim they had no opportunity to fix the problem before your injury occurred.
Third-party blame:The MTA may try to shift responsibility onto another party, such as a reckless commuter, contractor, or even an unrelated emergency, claiming that your injury was caused by circumstances outside their control, not their own negligence.

Having a knowledgeable MTA accident attorney in your corner is essential. At Fellows Hymowitz Rice, we’ve helped clients navigate these complex cases and fight back against institutional resistance.

Platform Safety Is a Public Duty: Accountability Is Personal

You shouldn’t need to risk your safety just to get to work or see a loved one. Subway platforms should be secure, well-maintained, and accessible to everyone. When the MTA fails to meet this basic obligation, the consequences can be life-altering.

If you or someone you love was seriously injured on an MTA subway platform, don’t let the complexity of suing the MTA stop you from exploring your options. The law gives you a voice, and our team helps you use it.

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