The family of Samantha Mattei is suing MBTA and trolley operated Aiden Quinn for Boston personal injury. Mattei is one of 68 people who were injured in the 2009 MBTA green line trolley accident caused by Quinn, who was text messaging.
Mattei, who was a freshman at Merrimack College at the time, broke her back and sustained a serious concussion, facial lacerations, nerve damage, and other injuries when she was thrown from her seat and into a pole. According to the 21-year-old’s family, she also continues to suffer from nausea, vertigo, headaches, memory loss, and speech impediments.
Mattei also now walks with a cane, needs help getting around campus, cannot drive, and may lose her scholarships because she has a hard time concentrating and her grades have suffered. Also since the Boston train accident, Mattei has fallen seven times and had to go to the hospital emergency room. Her family’s MBTA accident lawsuit is seeking compensation for Mattei’s pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical expenses.
Prosecutors say Quinn, who pleaded guilty to negligent operation of the trolley, passed through a red light and two red lights before striking another trolley. Mattei’s family say that MBTA should have properly evaluated Quinn’s driving record (he had prior speeding tickets), and failed to stop drivers from talking on a cell phone while operating trains even though they knew that distracted driving can cause train accidents. Several other victims from the green line trolley crash have filed Boston injury lawsuits.
The National Transportation Safety Board released its report about the trolley accident this week. In addition to confirming that Quinn ran a red light because he was texting, NTSB said that that there should have been a system in place to stop the trains automatically if they came too close to hitting each other.
NTSB confirms texting led to ’09 trolley crash, Metro, April 28, 2011
Crash victim’s family files lawsuit against T, Boston, April 30, 2011
Victim from texting crash sues T, Boston Herald, April 30, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
National Transportation Safety Board
More Blog Posts:
MBTA Releases Documents Relating to 2009 Accident on Green Line, Boston Car Accident Lawyer, November 12, 2010
Boston Green Line Train Crash that Injured Dozens is A Reminder of Why Text Messaging And Driving Don’t Mix, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, May 12, 2009
An experienced Boston injury lawyer can help you explore your legal options.