MBTA Harvard Station Falling Equipment Lawsuit

The woman who was hurt when a utility box fell earlier this month at the Harvard MBTA station in Cambridge, Massachusetts, plans to file a lawsuit against the transit agency, according to a news release that cites the woman's lawyer.

The incident happened on May 1, when a utility box became dislodged and slid down a column, bringing with it a supporting bracket that hit the woman, according to MBTA officials.

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The woman who was hurt is a 28-year-old Ph.D. student at Harvard who has injuries that require "ongoing and long-term medical treatment," including a detached clavicle from her shoulder, attorney Thomas Flaws of Boston-based Altman Nussbaum Shunnarah Trial Attorneys said.

The T said that it was a utility box, attached to a column that became dislodged and slid down to the bottom of the column on an inbound platform.

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“We are troubled by the ongoing issues at Harvard station and throughout the overall MBTA transit operation," Flaws said in a statement. "With reasonable attention and maintenance, this incident would have been prevented. We intend to find out exactly what is causing dangerous objects to repeatedly detach or fall from the ceiling at the Harvard station. We want to ensure no rider utilizing public transportation is ever injured in this manner again.”

Asked about the lawsuit, an MBTA spokesman said in a statement Wednesday, "The MBTA’s top priority is delivering safe and reliable service. The MBTA deeply regrets that this incident occurred, and know that we continue to work every day to ensure safety for all."

The incident was caused by corrosion on the support straps that secured the box to the column, the agency has said. General Manager Phillip Eng visited the site and directed that every station be immediately inspected for the presence of the boxes and the condition of the support straps, according to the transit agency.

The agency said the box was part of a 2011 pilot program and contained sensors that could detect biological agents. The program ended in 2013 and the box had no further purpose.

All the remaining boxes have been removed, according to the MBTA.