BART reaches $9M settlement with man dragged by train in SF
SAN FRANCISCO – A BART rider who had to have his leg amputated after being dragged by a train in downtown San Francisco has settled with the transit agency for more than $9 million.
The agency will pay $9.15 million to 61-year-old David Nelson of San Francisco, who was injured at the Powell Street station in 2021.
Court documents said Nelson had his coat caught in the closing door of a train and was pulled along the platform. Nelson had lost part of his leg as a result of the incident.
The rider's attorney argued that the train operator ignored an obstruction warning when the incident took place.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, attorney John Sweeney said about the settlement, "I'm pleased that my client has been monetarily compensated for his injuries and I hope that this lawsuit will be a deterrent to BART train operators who fail to treat the safety of the public as a priority."
In the settlement, BART admitted no liability for Nelson's injuries. The newspaper reported that the settlement was approved by the agency's Board of Directors in a closed session last month.
The settlement is the largest ever paid by the transit agency.