Family of Robinson Lalin, man dragged to death on Red Line, sues MBTA
BOSTON - The family of a man who died after being dragged by the Red Line train last April has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the MBTA.
On April 10th, 2022, a routine ride to work on the Red Line turned into a horrific death for Robinson Lalin.
Lalin's arm somehow got trapped in the door as he left the subway car, and, as the train pulled away, he was dragged more than 100 feet to his death.
He was 39 years old.
Now his family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority saying his death was caused by 'carelessness and negligence.'
The lawsuit says the operator 'negligently, willfully, wantonly, and/or recklessly failed to confirm the platform and subway doors were clear of passengers before pulling the train away from the station, while dragging him to his death."
The lawsuit also says the MBTA didn't "properly inspect, maintain, repair, and monitor the subway cars and station," according to the complaint.
In a statement, Mike Mahoney, one of the family attorneys said, "Robinson Lalin died needlessly and tragically due to the negligence of the MBTA. He left children and an extended family that loves and continues to mourn him. What happened to Robinson could happen to any T rider, and it is the hope that this lawsuit will bring justice for his family and what happened to him and some much-needed accountability for the MBTA."
The statement went on to say, "The culture of MBTA's management for decades has been to not apologize, not make amends, and not reach out to the people hurt or killed by the MBTA's negligence. It is the hope that lawsuits like this, together with a new administration and new leadership at the T, may work to change that culture and make the T safe for everyone."
MBTA officials say the door system had a short circuit mechanical issue which contributed to the incident, but that problem didn't come up in an inspection two weeks earlier.
The MBTA sent WBZ a statement saying, "Mr. Lalin's death was a tragedy, and the MBTA has extended its deepest condolences to his loved ones." Officials add, "The MBTA is committed to making safety and reliability improvements to the services it provides.
MBTA vehicle maintenance personnel work tirelessly to keep the rapid transit fleet operating in a state-of-good-repair and regularly scheduled inspections of subway cars include the testing and maintenance of door components. MBTA trains make thousands of daily trips, carrying hundreds of thousands of riders every day without incident."
The lawsuit is calling for a jury trial for monetary damages, including funeral expenses and lost wages.
Lalin left behind two children.