The metro systems that network underneath some of America's greatest cities are efficient and help commuters get to their desired locations in no time. While subways are practical and useful, there are times that they can also be dangerous. This is because there are rarely guard railings near the track bed in subway systems. If a person falls into the deep track beds, it can mean an almost immediate and gruesome death.

This past week, a transit worker who was in charge of maintain signals and working as a "flagger" in the subway system was killed when he fell off of a bench wall. The worker with the initials L.M. had been working for the Metro for eight years and was in charge of setting up lights and signs that would warn approaching trains that there was construction and signal repairs going on up ahead. According to investigative reports, L.M. used a rolling bag to carry his equipment due to a shoulder injury that he suffered earlier in the year.

Some investigative reports suggests that L.M.'s bag got caught on a subway train as it moved through the tunnel, or that it caught on a bar in the tunnel and pulled the man into the track bed. He was crushed under the train. The conductor claims that he tried to pull the emergency brake but it was already too late. The subway train was evacuated and the station was closed while police and fire department officials came to the scene. The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) says that most deaths in the subway system happen because of a sickness, an accident, or a suicide.

Many of the deaths in the subway system involve workers that were repairing or maintaining the tracks. The MTA estimates that about 24 workers have been killed in subway work accidents since 1946. Most of the time these employees are killed when working on the rails and hit by a train. There are also times that workers have been electrocuted on the third rail, and others have died from falls inside the high tunnels. Thankfully, safety is slowly improving on the subway system and less people are suffering from subway accidents. A report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that subways, elevated trains, and trolleys account for about half of all fatalities involving passenger railroading. In the years between 1993 and 2002, there were about 1,000 fatalities from these three modes of transportation.

Still, this does not mean that subway accidents and injuries are disappearing. A report by WNYC reports that that there were twelve subway injuries within three weeks earlier this year. In 2012, there wre about 150 incidents of subway injuries, and 54 deaths occurred in the subway tunnels under New York alone. The MTA has noted that they may install sliding doors on some particularly dangerous subway platforms. Because there are not guardrails, it is easy for a person to climb into the pit or trip and fall.

The MTA has also looked at the option to create more signs which would warn Metro riders of the dangers of standing too close to the track bed. If you are a MTA worker or if you are a frequent passenger on the subways, you need to be extremely cautious. If you are injured while on a train or in a subway station you may have the right to seek compensation for your injuries. Also, if your loved one is injured or killed in one of these accidents, then you may be able to seek compensation. Talk to a local personal injury attorney today to get started with your lawsuit.