Latest news with #SarahdeLagarde
Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
Mother run over by two Tube trains ‘caused' own injuries, claims TfL
A mother of two who was run over by two Tube trains 'caused' her own injuries, Transport for London (TfL) has claimed. Sarah de Lagarde, 46, had her right arm and leg partially amputated after she fell onto the tracks at High Barnet station, in north London, in September 2022. She has brought a High Court case against TfL in which she will seek damages of more than £25 million. In court documents, TfL has claimed 'the incident was caused or contributed to by the claimant's negligence'. Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has previously told TfL to avoid 'victim-blaming' when passengers are injured or killed on public transport in the capital. Ms de Lagarde, who now has two prosthetic limbs, was travelling home on the Northern Line on Sept 30 2022 when she fell asleep. She awoke at High Barnet, at the end of the line, at 9.53pm and alighted from the train onto a wet platform. 'The claimant took a few steps forward onto the platform and then took a few steps backwards, before the rear of her body struck the rear side of the door of the train she had exited from,' according to TfL's court documents. 'The claimant continued to move backwards and, approximately seven seconds after exiting the train, she fell into the gap between carriages five and six of the train.' Ms de Lagarde, the global head of corporate affairs at Janus Henderson, an investment firm, was not noticed by other passengers or station staff and her shouts for help went unheeded. Shortly before 10pm, the driver of the train noticed a brown leather bag wedged between the train and the platform. He picked it up and later handed it in to the lost property office at Morden, south London, but did not investigate further. TfL's submissions say he 'did not see or hear the claimant at that point and did not look into the gap, having no reason to do so'. Ms de Lagarde's right arm was run over when the train set off at 10pm. Five minutes later, her right leg was crushed when a second Northern Line train arrived at the station. Despite the train's headlights being on, she was not found until a driver of a train on a different platform heard her shouts and called the emergency services. Air Ambulance paramedics crawled under the train to reach her and later received a national bravery award. She was taken to the Royal London Hospital for surgery and later transferred to the Amputee Rehabilitation Unit in Lambeth. She was not discharged from hospital until Dec 1 2022. Ms de Lagarde's claim states: 'The breaches of duty caused the claimant to suffer life-changing injuries.' Representing Ms de Lagarde, Thomas Jervis, a Leigh Day partner, said: 'Like millions of other Londoners, Sarah de Lagarde was just trying to get home from work when she was hit by two tube trains at High Barnet station. 'Transport for London is refusing to accept liability and positively blames Sarah for what happened.' A spokesman for TfL said: 'We are responding to a legal claim brought by Sarah de Lagarde. It is not appropriate to discuss details of our defence while this case is ongoing. 'Our thoughts continue to be with Sarah and her family following this terrible incident, and we will continue to make every possible effort to learn from any incident on the Tube network. Safety is our top priority, and we will always place it at the forefront of our thinking.' The trial is due to open in January 2027.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Mother who lost her arm and leg after falling under Tube train 'contributed' to her own life-changing injuries, claims TfL amid £25m lawsuit
A mother who is seeking up to £25m in compensation after losing her right arm and leg after being hit by two Tube trains contributed to her own injuries, according to Transport for London. Sarah de Lagarde, 46, a mother of two from Camden, slipped on a wet platform at High Barnet station in north London in September 2022 and fell down the gap between the train and the platform. She also broke her nose and two front teeth in the fall, but nobody heard her desperate cries for help. After being hit by two trains, she was rushed to hospital where her limbs were amputated. The PR executive, who now uses two prosthetic limbs - including a bionic arm, has since launched a legal battle against Transport for London (TfL). However, in defence documents submitted to the High Court by TfL 's legal team and seen by the Standard, it is claimed that 'the incident was caused or contributed to by the claimant's negligence'. The London transport network says Ms de Lagarde 'placed herself in a position of danger' as she was 'negligent' in how she got off the train. Ms De Lagarde, global head of corporate affairs at City investment firm Janus Henderson, was returning home from work when the accident happened at about 10pm on September 30, 2022. She fell asleep and was woken up by another passenger at the end of the Northern Line at High Barnet station, eight miles past her stop to get home to Camden. Ms de Lagarde spoke outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London last year, directing her message to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and the bosses of TfL, prior to launching legal action at the court After getting off the train, she noticed it was returning back the same way and stepped backwards to get back on. But she fell through the gap onto the tracks. TfL defence lists six grounds of Ms de Lagarde's alleged contributory negligence Failed to manage her exit from the train so that she was on stable footing when she was on the platform. Failed to walk safely along the platform so that she stepped sideways and backwards on the platform after alighting the train and fell backwards into the gap. Failed reasonably to maintain her balance. Failed to have sufficient regard for her own safety and placed herself in a position of danger. Failed to heed warnings of the existence of the gap, including announcements given on the network of the existence of a gap between trains and platforms. Failed to guard against the obvious risk of danger of falling off the platform if positioned close to its edge. According to the TfL defence: 'The claimant took a few steps forward on to the platform and then took a few steps backwards, before the rear of her body struck the rear side of the door of the train she had exited from. 'The claimant continued to move backwards and, approximately seven seconds after exiting the train, she fell into the gap between carriages five and six of the train.' Around five minutes later, the train driver walked back through the train to get to the driver's cab to start his return journey southbound. He noticed Ms de Lagarde's brown leather bag wedged between the train and the platform, which he later handed to lost property. But he didn't investigate further. TfL's defence said the driver 'did not see or hear the claimant at that point and did not look into the gap, having no reason to do so'. She called out for help, but no one came and the train left the platform, bringing her right arm with it. She managed to reach her phone but her face was so badly injured the face ID didn't work and it was too wet from the rain for the touchscreen to function, so she again tried to shout for help. But again, no one came. And then a second train arrived, running over her right leg. Standing outside the Royal Courts of Justice in central London last February, she said: 'There were no staff on that platform, and no one was watching CCTV. No one had responded to my screams for help. 'Twenty-two tonnes of steel crushed my limbs, and, if that wasn't bad enough, I remained on the tracks undetected until the second train came into the station, crushing me for a second time. 'A few weeks before I was hit by the two Tube trains, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with my husband, which was a lifelong dream of mine. 'I felt on top of the world, and overnight all that changed. I am now severely disabled for life.' TfL say that the driver of the second train did not see Ms de Lagarde lying on the track, despite the train's headlights being on. However, TfL said their purpose was 'not to illuminate the tracks or the platform' but to make the train visible to workers on the track. Ms de Lagarde was on the tracks for 15 minutes before the alarm was raised and London Fire Brigade and London's Air Ambulance medics rushed to the scene, Three air ambulance medics helped save her life, with Dr Benjamin Marriage and paramedics Chris Doyle and Kevin Cuddon receiving a national bravery award. Mr Cuddon said: 'Sarah was trapped in a very awkward position so I crawled under the train to help the London Fire Brigade get her out. 'Together we had to carry her about 30m under the train and put her on a device to lift her up to the platform. 'She was really quiet, pale and had lost some blood.' Ms de Lagarde had stepped onto an 'accessibility hump', a slope of a ramp that is designed to make it easier for wheelchair users to board trains. An investigation by TfL found that the ramp was 'in principle compliant' with TfL's standards and that 'passengers stepping onto the base of the platform ramp is considered a sub-optimal arrangement' but was nevertheless Ms de Lagarde says 'remained conscious and continued to cry out for help'. Her claim states: 'She was left lying partially across the first rail of the track, closest to the station platform. 'The claimant attempted to manoeuvre her right foot and leg across the first rail in order to retrieve her mobile telephone. She cried out for help, but nobody came to her assistance.' She was unable to move into a recess space in the platform wall as it was blocked by a steel frame and 'excess ballast', it is claimed. It is disputed by TfL that there are different safety procedures for trains departing from a terminus station, as opposed to a station elsewhere on the line. 'The same checks are required on dispatching a train from a terminus station and a non-terminus station,' TfL said. Ms de Lagarde was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel where where she underwent surgery before being transferred to the Amputee Rehabilitation Unit in Lambeth on October 20. She was discharged home on December 1, 2022. Ms de Lagarde receives ongoing care at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore. A TfL spokesperson said: 'We are responding to a legal claim brought by Sarah de Lagarde. 'It is not appropriate to discuss details of our defence while this case is ongoing. 'Our thoughts continue to be with Sarah and her family following this terrible incident, and we will continue to make every possible effort to learn from any incident on the Tube network.
ITV News
26-06-2025
- ITV News
Mother who lost arm and leg in 'devastating' Tube accident takes TfL to court
Sarah de Lagarde, who lost an arm and leg after falling on the train tracks and being hit by a tube, talks ITV News Reporter Jay Akbar as she takes TfL to court A mother, who lost an arm and leg after falling on the train tracks and being hit by a tube, says she is "terrified" every time her daughters get the Underground, as she takes Transport for London to court. In September 2022, Sarah de Lagarde, 47, slipped on a platform at High Barnet station, in north London, and fell down the gap between the train and the platform. After being hit by two separate trains, she was taken to hospital and had to have an arm and a leg amputated, and now uses two prosthetic limbs. She tells ITV News London it had a "devastating impact" on her life, with her husband and children becoming her carers. While the payment claim is large, she says she would "trade anything to get her limbs back". Mrs De Lagarde is bringing a legal claim against London Underground Ltd (LUL), which is part of Transport for London (TfL). The first hearing in the case was held at the Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday for breach of duty. Speaking to ITV News London, she said she was bringing about the action as TfL is not doing enough to make the underground safe. She said: "I really think that this is a bigger issue than just my case. This is affecting millions of commuters. "I have two daughters who are of age to use public transport. I am absolutely terrified every time they go because I know the risks they're taking and I know that safety is a real issue. " At the preliminary hearing, Judge Roger Eastman said an eight-week trial would likely take place at the beginning of 2027, with a further hearing due to take place in September this year. He also said: 'I appreciate this is a very high value claim, potentially, and very serious claim.'James MacDonald, representing Mrs De Lagarde, told the court the case was 'not an ordinary personal injury case'. In written submissions, he said the issues the trial judge will have to decide include whether LUL was in breach by not having a system in place to ensure that the Platform Train Interface (PTI) is monitored as passengers are getting off a train at a terminus station. Another issue is whether LUL 'was in breach by virtue of its train operators not being trained to look for passengers on the tracks when entering a station'. Prashant Popat KC, for LUL, said: 'We recognise that this is a tragic case, and the claimant sustained some horrific injuries.' In written submissions, he added: 'The defendant denies these allegations. 'It also pleads contributory negligence. 'The parties are agreed that the case should proceed first towards a preliminary issue trial on liability. This would encompass breach of duty, causation and the issue of contributory negligence.' A TfL spokesperson said: 'We are responding to a legal claim brought by Sarah de Lagarde. It is not appropriate to discuss details of our defence while this case is ongoing. 'Our thoughts continue to be with Sarah and her family following this terrible incident, and we will continue to make every possible effort to learn from any incident on the Tube network. Safety is our top priority and we will always place it at the forefront of our thinking.'
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Yahoo
Mum loses arm and leg after slipping on station platform into path of two trains
A mum has shared how she 'miraculously' survived being hit by two trains after she slipped and fell from the station platform. Sarah de Lagarde was travelling home from work when the horrific incident unfolded. She was at the High Barnet tube stop in north London in September 2022 when she fell between the train and the platform. Two different trains then hit her before she was rushed to hospital. READ MORE: Drivers in England warned over new £5 daily charge 'which could last two years' Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp , click the link to join Following the ordeal, the mum-of-two had an arm and a leg amputated. She now uses prosthetics and is bringing a legal claim against London Underground Ltd (LUL), which is part of Transport for London (TfL), for a breach of duty, The Mirror reports. Speaking of her ordeal, she said the one thing that breaks her heart the most is the fact she lost her "ability to hug my two young children with both arms." The first hearing in the case was held at the Royal Courts of Justice today (June 25). Sarah, 47, hailed it a 'significant milestone' in her 'journey towards justice', with LUL defending the claim. Speaking outside the Royal Courts of Justice following the hearing, she described the harrowing incident and the resulting impact it has had on her life. The mum said: "I was commuting home from work. I fell through the gap. I was run over and crushed by not one, but two London underground trains on the Northern Line. "Miraculously, I survived, but it cost me dearly – the first train took my arm, and the second train took my leg." She added: 'That night I also lost my mobility, my independence, my dignity and, above all, my ability to hug my two young children with both arms. 'Today, I stand before you not just as a survivor, but as a voice for change. "This afternoon's court hearing marks a significant milestone in my journey towards justice against Transport for London, and I am optimistic. "As we prepare for the full trial, I am not just fighting for justice for myself but for a safer, more accountable transport network for all.' Sarah said she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and has not returned to using public transport since the incident. She added: 'I'm absolutely terrified.' At the preliminary hearing in London, Judge Roger Eastman said an eight-week trial would likely take place at the beginning of 2027, with a further hearing due to take place in September this year. He added: 'I appreciate this is a very high value claim, potentially, and very serious claim.' James MacDonald, representing Mrs De Lagarde, told the court the case was 'not an ordinary personal injury case'. In written submissions, he said the issues the trial judge will have to decide include whether LUL was in breach by not having a system in place to ensure that the Platform Train Interface (PTI) is monitored as passengers are getting off a train at a terminus station. Another issue is whether LUL 'was in breach by virtue of its train operators not being trained to look for passengers on the tracks when entering a station'. Prashant Popat KC, for LUL, said: 'We recognise that this is a tragic case, and the claimant sustained some horrific injuries.' In written submissions, he added: 'The defendant denies these allegations. It also pleads contributory negligence. 'The parties are agreed that the case should proceed first towards a preliminary issue trial on liability. This would encompass breach of duty, causation and the issue of contributory negligence.' Thomas Jervis, a partner at law firm Leigh Day, which is representing Sarah, added: 'This case is incredibly important and may have a profound impact on how London's transport network is operated in the future.'
Sky News
25-06-2025
- Sky News
Sarah de Lagarde who lost two limbs in Tube fall hails 'significant milestone' as legal case progresses
A mother-of-two who lost her right arm and leg after being hit by two Tube trains has hailed a "significant milestone" in her "journey towards justice" as her legal case has progressed. Sarah de Lagarde, 47, suffered the injuries after falling down the gap between a train and the platform at High Barnet station in north London in September 2022. After being hit by two trains, she was taken to hospital and had to have the limbs amputated. She now uses two prosthetic limbs, including a bionic arm. Mrs de Lagarde is now bringing a legal claim against London Underground Ltd (LUL), part of Transport for London, and the case has reached the High Court. The first hearing was held at the Royal Courts of Justice for breach of duty. LUL is defending the claim. Speaking outside the court after the hearing, Mrs de Lagarde said the accident "cost me dearly". "That night I also lost my mobility, my independence, my dignity and, above all, my ability to hug my two young children with both arms," she said. "Today, I stand before you not just as a survivor, but as a voice for change. "This afternoon's court hearing marks a significant milestone in my journey towards justice against Transport for London, and I am optimistic." Mrs de Lagarde added that she is "not just fighting for justice for myself but for a safer, more accountable transport network for all". At the preliminary hearing, Judge Roger Eastman said a further hearing will take place in September this year before a full trial, likely at the beginning of 2027. Mrs de Lagarde previously recalled how she "screamed for help" after being hit by the first train. "There were no staff on that platform, and no one was watching CCTV," she said. "Twenty-two tonnes of steel crushed my limbs, and, if that wasn't bad enough, I remained on the tracks undetected until the second train came into the station, crushing me for a second time." 7:15 In written submissions to the court, Mrs de Lagarde's lawyer said the issues the trial judge will have to decide include whether LUL was in breach by not having a system in place to ensure CCTV on the platform is monitored as passengers are getting off a train. Another issue is whether LUL "was in breach by virtue of its train operators not being trained to look for passengers on the tracks when entering a station". A lawyer acting for LUL said: "We recognise that this is a tragic case, and the claimant sustained some horrific injuries." In written submissions, Prashant Popat added: "The defendant denies these allegations. It also pleads contributory negligence. "The parties are agreed that the case should proceed first towards a preliminary issue trial on liability. This would encompass breach of duty, causation and the issue of contributory negligence."
