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Frustrated Commuters File Lawsuit Against MTA, LIRR, NYC Transit
By
David Colon
Published Jun 11, 2017
Modified Jun 12, 2017
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By
David Colon
Published Jun 11, 2017
Modified Jun 12, 2017
Share
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As the start of six weeks of track work in Penn Station that Andrew Cuomo has warned will be a "summer of hell" gets closer, a pair of commuters already burned by the station's many delays have announced that they're suing for damages because of the crumbling train station.
The Post reports that Long Island resident Meredith Jacobs and Fred Lee have filed a suit against the MTA, the LIRR and New York City Transit, claiming that the constant delays, disruptions and canceled trains have inflicted emotional distress on the pair and also amounts to negligence and a breach of contract of carriage on the part of the transit agencies.
The lawsuit is being filed on behalf of any commuter who rides the LIRR, according to attorney Paul Liggieri, who's representing both plaintiffs, and will be able to include "thousands" more people who want to join it once it's certified as a class-action. "Penn Station is a mess, and we hope this lawsuit is the first step in cleaning it up," he told the paper.
Liggieri also represented the man who sued West Village bar The Happiest Hour after bartenders allegedly refused to serve a man who was wearing a Make America Great Again hat.
New York City Transit is also included in the suit because Liggieri says that the overcrowding has forced commuters to clog up the 2, 3, A, C and E trains as well.
The suit claims that the frequent delays have caused "dangerous" levels of overcrowding on train platforms that leave commuters at risk of falling onto the tracks and have resulted in riders being forced to stand in the train's vestibules and bathrooms (which are themselves unsanitary). In addition, riders have been subject to disciplinary actions at their jobs because of train-related lateness and have generally been unable to enjoy life because of train stress according to the suit.
In addition to damages and attorneys' fees, the suit seeks refunds for monthly LIRR passes, all of which could result in a judgement of "hundreds of thousands of dollars" Liggieri said. As of press time, officials with the MTA and LIRR had not commented on the lawsuit.
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