Woman Alleges MTA Employees Left Her for Dead on Blue Line Train

A civil lawsuit was filed against the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority ("LACMTA") today by a 57-year-old woman who was the victim of an unprovoked, racially-motivated verbal and physical attack while riding the Blue Line train home from work in the evening. The police have classified the attack as a hate crime. The lawsuit was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court.

In the complaint, the plaintiff, Nidia Romero, alleges that three individuals began aggressively harassing her using racial slurs and threats of violence while she was seated on the train during her daily commute home to Long Beach from her job in Los Angeles. Ms. Romero immediately attempted to get help by moving away from the individuals and calling the hotline that the LACMTA itself advertises and instructs passengers to call if there is a problem.

However, nothing was done to help Ms. Romero. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that the individuals followed Ms. Romero through the train car and continued to harass her. Eventually, Ms. Romero was violently attacked approximately ten minutes after initiating the call to the LACMTA hotline. After the attack ended, Ms. Romero alleges that she was left unattended in the rail car in which she had just been attacked with no assistance, security, or medical care.

The lawsuit further alleges that this type of attack was foreseeable and preventable. The LACMTA has extensive knowledge of the dangerous condition of LACMTA trains generally, and Blue Line trains specifically, due to the high number of reported crimes on the trains and the numerous news reports detailing the danger involved with commuting on Blue Line trains.

Despite this knowledge of the danger to the public, LACTMA has not taken sufficient steps to make the trains safer, and furthermore, has not instituted mechanisms, polices, or procedures whereby the public can get to safety when they fear an attack.

"We will argue that the LACMTA failed in their legal duty to protect the public from harassment and attacks on public transportation, even when it knows that harassment and attacks are a problem on its buses and trains." said Eliot Krieger, attorney for Ms. Romero.

The complaint seeks injunctive relief to require LACMTA to implement reasonable safety measures to protect its passengers from the types of attacks suffered by Ms. Romero and others. The complaint also asks for monetary compensation for Ms. Romero's physical injury, shock, emotional distress, and expenses for medical treatment.

About Sullivan, Krieger, Truong Spagnola & Klausner, LLP:

Sullivan, Krieger, Truong, Spagnola & Klausner, LLP is a boutique firm with large firm talent from top law schools and nationally recognized law firms. Our dedication to clients, combined with our extensive experience, are the qualities that distinguish us from other law firms. We provide superior legal services and client service at the highest level. For more information about the firm, please go to http://www.sullivankrieger.com.