Rider in Chicago Subway Crash Files Back and Neck Injury Lawsuit

Chicago, ILWe have all seen the security camera footage of the subway train in Chicago jumping the tracks and veering up the escalator at the O’Hare International Airport in late March. Mercifully, there were no deaths reported. And it could have been a lot worse: someone could have easily been killed. Had the gentleman in the video footage who had ridden the escalator been delayed in his ascent by just a few moments, he could have been under that train. Still, more than 30 people were injured, and one of those injured filed a back and neck injury lawsuit against the operator of the transit line.



According to court records, plaintiff Dalila Jefferson was riding in the first car of the Chicago Blue Line train when the horrific accident happened. Jefferson claims to have suffered a broken foot and other injuries, for which she is seeking neck injury compensation and other damages from the Chicago Transit Authority, the defendant in the case.

Jefferson works as a security guard at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, and was riding the Blue Line to work when the accident happened. Various reports indicate there were 32 commuters on the train at the time of the accident, and that injuries were not severe.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated. In early reports following the March 24th incident, the head of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 said that the operator of the train that early morning had been working a string of overtime shifts and was “extremely tired,” according to a report posted on line by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) at cbc.ca (3/24/14).

That’s no solace for Jefferson, who would have had to take time off work. In addition, a back and neck injury can have lasting and chronic implications. No surprise, therefore, that back injury settlements include compensation for medical bills and ongoing support given the sensitive nature of the spine and its impact on the entire body overall.

Same goes for neck injury compensation. A neck that is impacted as the result of an injury can play havoc with an individual’s capacity to earn a living, or simply to enjoy a comfortable and productive life. A back and neck injury is often a challenge to treat and can have lasting consequences. An individual employed as a security guard would be required to undertake highly physical tasks on occasion that pain, or limitations stemming from a back and neck injury, could easily prevent.

Jefferson’s back injury attorney filed a motion seeking access to the employment file of the operator who allegedly “dozed off” prior to the 3 am accident. Jefferson’s legal team also wants to access records of communication between the doomed train’s operator and dispatchers on duty at the time.

The back and neck injury lawsuit is Dalila Jefferson v. Chicago Transit Authority, Case No. 14L3424, in the Cook County Circuit Court, Law Division.