BOSTON — The family of a Massachusetts man who was dragged to death by a Red Line train last year has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority.
A complaint filed in Suffolk Superior Court on Wednesday alleges that the April 2022 death of 39-year-old Robinson Lalin, of Boston, was caused by “carelessness and negligence” on behalf of the MBTA.
Lalin got his arm caught in the door of a Red Line train as it pulled away from Broadway station in Boston around 12:30 a.m. on April 10.
“Lalin was dragged to death by a Red Line subway train owned and operated by the defendant,” the complaint stated.
The complaint further alleges that the train 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.”
At the time the deadly incident, Lalin’s nephew, Kelvin Lalin, told Boston 25 News, “From my experience taking the train, they always check to see if it’s all clear before they can go. I’m suggesting the guy wanted to go home, the conductor wanted to go home, so I guess he didn’t do his job correctly and didn’t check and ended up killing a man and we’re all devastated. It’s very unfortunate.”
Lalin’s body was dismembered as he was dragged along the tracks, and he suffered “great pain of body and anguish of mind resulting in pain and suffering prior to death,” the complaint stated.
The MBTA, in the complaint, is also accused of failing to upgrade subway cars and take unsafe cars out of service. A subsequent National Transportation Safety Board investigation linked Lalin’s death to a “fault” in the train’s door.
The lawsuit is seeking monetary damages for medical and funeral expenses, lost wages, and lost earning capacity.
Robinson was a father to a boy and girl, Christopher and Ariana.
An MBTA spokesperson sent a statement regarding the lawsuit and death of Robinson:
“Mr. Lalin’s death was a tragedy, and the MBTA has extended its deepest condolences to his loved ones. Because of the pending litigation, the MBTA will not be commenting on the complaint itself. 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.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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