Williamsburg, NY (November 2, 2026) – A 14-year-old boy was critically injured after falling from a train near the Hewes Street station, police sources said.
The boy was riding atop a northbound express train on the J/M/Z lines just before 4 p.m., according to the same sources. He fell off the moving train and landed on the roadbed. Law enforcement sources described it as an apparent subway surfing incident.
He was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital in critical condition, according to sources. Police said later in the evening that he was undergoing surgery and was expected to survive.
Service on the J and M lines was suspended between Brooklyn and Manhattan for much of the evening rush hour. It returned after 6 p.m.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Subway Train Injury Claims in New York: Five Common Questions
Claims against a public transit authority run on a different clock than ordinary injury cases. Suits against the New York City Transit Authority generally must start within one year and 90 days, not three years (Public Authorities Law § 1212).
Who can be held responsible for a fall from a subway train?
It depends on what investigators find. Possible parties include the transit authority and anyone responsible for the train or the track area.
What if the injured person shares some of the fault?
That does not automatically end a claim. In most injury claims outside motor vehicle cases, New York reduces recovery by the person’s share of fault (CPLR § 1411).
Is a child’s claim handled differently?
Sometimes. Courts can allow extra time to sue for a minor (CPLR § 208), but the 90-day notice window does not pause on its own.
How long do we have to act?
If a transit authority may be responsible, a notice of claim is due within 90 days, by January 31, 2027 (General Municipal Law § 50-e).
What should we do first?
Keep every hospital record and bill, note the line, direction, and time, and ask an attorney to request preserved camera footage before it is overwritten.
Questions About a Subway Accident Claim in Brooklyn? Talk to Frekhtman & Associates
Families often worry that shared fault will end any chance of a claim. The answer depends on the facts, and our New York MTA accident attorneys know how short transit notice deadlines can decide whether a claim survives.
We gather the evidence, handle the paperwork with the transit authority, and track every deadline. Then we lay out the family’s options in plain terms, so every decision is made with the facts in hand.
What Brooklyn families get from Frekhtman & Associates after a subway accident:
- $900M+ recovered for injured New York clients across more than 25 years of practice
- $69,225,000 auto accident jury verdict, one of the largest in New York State history
- Free 24/7 consultations, including home and hospital visits for clients unable to travel
- Personal callbacks from founding attorney Arkady Frekhtman
- Russian-language services available
- Zero fees unless we win your case
- Brooklyn office at 60 Bay 26th St, serving families across the borough
Visit our Brooklyn office at 60 Bay 26th St, Brooklyn, NY 11214, call 866-821-0718, or send the details through our contact form.
