A 23-year-old Australian tourist had to have both her legs amputated after she was struck by 2 trains in New York.
Visaya Hoffie, the 23-year-old woman, was traveling from Brisbane, Australia, to New York during a vacation when she tripped and fell onto the Port Authority Trans-Hudson tracks before a seven-carriage train ran over her.
The 23-year-old had to have both her legs amputated below the knee.
The incident happened around 4 am on January 11, 2020.
According to reports, Visaya underwent a number of surgeries after the accident.
She is expected to be in the hospital for the foreseeable future.
Visaya is now planning to sue for negligence and has filed a petition at the Manhattan Supreme Court against the Port Authority, the Metropolitan Transport Authority, and the New York City.
Visaya said, “After the first train left the station after running me over, I was left on the tracks for another considerable period of time…until a second P.A.T.H. train came along and hit me again.”
Visaya says the station had proper lighting.
She also alleged that sensors on the first train, which ran over her, should have detected objects on the tracks.
In her affidavit, she said the amount of time she was left on the tracks is a sign of negligence by the Port Authority.
The 23-year-old tourist is now seeking video footage, photos, and witnesses along with statements so she can make her case stronger.
Jesse Minc, the lawyer of Visaya, said, “We are going to vigorously pursue claims against anybody that we find bares any responsibility for this horrible tragedy.”
The Port Authority of New York declined to release a comment or statement about the claims of the tourist.
According to the New York Post, the New York City Law Department will be reviewing the legal papers.
The MTA did not release a statement about the incident.