Neil Sugarman Testifies Before the Joint Transportation Committee
March 12, 2009
On February 24, 2009, Governor Deval L. Patrick filed a major piece of legislation to “Reform, Rebuild and Renew the Transportation System of the Commonwealth for the Twenty-First Century.”
On March 12, 2009, Attorney Neil Sugarman testified before the Joint Transportation Committee regarding preservation of important rights for those who suffer major personal injuries from MBTA-related accidents. The proposed legislation would cap all such claims at $100,000. Mr. Sugarman testified on behalf of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (MATA), which is an association of more than 1,200 attorneys committed to protecting the legal rights of Massachusetts’ citizens and to the preservation of the civil justice system. Mr. Sugarman testified that as a common carrier, operating on both rail and road, the MBTA’s operations present a unique and substantial risk to a large number of commuting citizens. He testified that it is vital and logical that we continue to hold common carriers, such as the MBTA, to, at a minimum, the same level of responsibility that applies to all other vehicles on the roads and railways. In the event that the the Legislature chooses to include the public transportation agencies within the State Department of Transportation, as the Governor has proposed, Mr. Sugarman asked the Legislature to exclude these agencies from the general governmental liability limitations . Mr. Sugarman testified that if there is going to be a restructuring of our public transportation system, the plan should include appropriate protections for injured citizens and their families.