Man awarded nearly $23 million after losing five toes when he got hit by a train
A man who lost five toes after accidentally tripping on the subway platform and getting struck by a train has been awarded $22.5 million (over P1.2 billion).
Maruf Hossain is set to receive this amount after a jury verdict ruled in his favor, eight years after the accident.
Detailing the incident that took place on June 5, 2017, Hossain, then 24, was set to board a train at Parkchester Avenue subway station when he tripped and fell onto the train tracks.
In his complaint against the Metropolitan Transit Authority, as obtained by PEOPLE Magazine, he described the platform's state as "broken" and "uneven," which caused him to trip. He was struck by a train when he fell, leaving him with “injuries to the neck, back, head, legs, arms, hands, internal and external injuries to the whole body, lower and upper limbs."
He also alleged in the complaint that the accident was caused by “one or more of" the defendants' negligence in maintaining the subway platform.
Meanwhile, a medical report by Dr. Kashaul Shah, an emergency medicine expert, underlined Hossain's injuries on his left foot at the time. "The patient was hit by train, with amputations of toes 1 to 5," Shah wrote, describing his foot as "mangled" after the accident.
He furthered that Hossain required additional surgeries on the foot, especially with the loss of some of his metatarsal bones. He also noted that the victim had dislocated his hip.
Shah also mentioned that during his interview with a psychiatrist, Hossain did not try to kill himself, contrary to the EMS report that stated Hossain "jumped in front of the train."
“We showed that the transit authority likely authored the witness statement themselves and passed it off as an independent statement. The jury agreed," his lawyer, Nick Liakas, told the New York Post.
Hossain's original claim was $20 million (P1.1 billion), but the MTA tried to "bully" him into agreeing to the $100,000 (P5.6 million) settlement.
“After years of the Transit Authority trying to bully me into an unfair settlement, the jury saw through their lies and gave me a second chance at living a normal life,” Hossain said in a statement sent to the outlet.
The jury gave its final verdict on June 30, awarding Hossain $22.5 million.
“For far too long, the New York City Transit Authority has gambled with the well-being of innocent New Yorkers," Liakas said in a statement to PEOPLE. "Their litigation strategy has been clear: delay, deny, and defend — no matter the human cost. But this time, the jury rejected those tactics and delivered a powerful message: accountability matters, and New Yorkers deserve better."
“This verdict isn’t just a win for Mr. Hossain. It’s a warning to powerful corporations: the days of dodging responsibility through legal gamesmanship are over," Liakas added.
The MTA spokesperson told PEOPLE that they are reviewing the verdict and are "assessing all legal options."
