Engineer Sues Metro-North Over 2013 Derailment
HARTFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- An engineer who was injured in the May 2013 derailment of a commuter train in Bridgeport has sued Metro-North Railroad. It's the latest of more than 25 lawsuits filed in the derailment.
Steven Bauer, of Orange, says in his lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District Court that he suffered serious and permanent injuries. The lawsuit claims Metro-North failed to provide a safe work environment and operated the railroad recklessly. It seeks more than $75,000 in damages.
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Spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said Metro-North doesn't comment on pending litigation.
Four of the 28 people who sued Metro-North for injuries have accepted settlements. Terms of the deals have not been disclosed.
An eastbound train derailed May 17, 2013, in Bridgeport and was struck about 20 seconds later by a westbound train. More than 70 people were injured.
Last month, a Metropolitan Transportation Authority panel released a report saying that Metro-North sacrificed safety for on-time performance.
The panel examined safety and maintenance practices at Metro-North, the Long Island Rail Road and the city's subway system. It found that the "safety culture" at the LIRR and the subway system "appears to be performing fairly well."
But at Metro-North, the panel said, "there is strong evidence to suggest that this is not the case."
The panel identified tension between train operationsand maintenance at all three agencies but said the issue is "magnified" at Metro-North, where on-time performance has been paramount.
Officials at the railroad, which connects the city to its northern suburbs and Connecticut, have said they are working to improve safety practices.
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