A mum has been left with PTSD and is now unable to face ever using the London Underground after she lost an arm and a leg when she fell through the gap between the train and the platform. Sarah de Lagarde, 47 was on her way home from work in the evening of September 30, 2022 when fell asleep and ended up at High Barnet station.
When she realised she wasn’t at the right station, Sarah went to get back on the Tube to head back from where she had come but she slipped and fell between the platform gap at High Barnet station. She desperately called for help, but no-one came and the train left the platform – bringing her right arm with it. And then a second train arrived, running over her right leg.
When she was eventually rescued, doctors had to amputate both her injured limbs and she now has bionic replacements, funded with help from a GoFundMe fundraiser. Nearly three years on, and her legal case against Transport for London (TfL) has finally been opened – with an eight day trial scheduled for January 2027.
‘I lost the ability to hug my two young children with both arms’
Outside the Royal Courts of Justice today (Wednesday, June 25), Sarah told MyLondon: “Miraculously, I survived [the incident] but it cost me dearly. The first train took my arm, and the second train took my leg. 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.”
Sarah, represented by Leigh Day solicitors, is of the view that TfL should be held legally liable for what happened to her, something which TfL contests.
James MacDonald, representing Sarah, 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 the London Underground “was in breach by virtue of its train operators not being trained to look for passengers on the tracks when entering a station”.
Sarah added outside court: “TfL can no longer defend my claim behind closed doors. It’s time to confront some hard truths.
“TfL’s initial reaction to my incident was to label me as a ‘drunk woman’ and suggest it was all my fault. This baseless claim has since been retracted but not before they scrutinized everything down to my choice of footwear. I wore flat shoes – not high heels, for the record.
“This afternoon’s Court hearing marks a significant milestone in my journey towards justice against TfL and I am optimistic. I’m grateful for the Judge’s thorough attention to the details of my case, which is not solely about my personal tragedy but is relevant to the safety of millions who rely on this network daily.
“It was revealed in court today that TfL continues to allege that this incident was entirely my fault. This not only feels like a personal attack, but I also believe it reflects a broader issue of accountability within TfL.
“This battle is larger than me. It’s about every passenger’s right to safe travel. TfL’s own campaign tells us: ‘see it, say it, sorted.’ I am seeing and saying, now it’s time for them to sort it.”
After the trauma of what happened to her, Sarah told MyLondon that she can no longer use the transport network. She said: “I have severe PTSD , I am absolutely terrified. Because there has been no acceptance of liability and no significant change has been made. It wasn’t safe for me to use with four limbs, it’s definitely not safe having just two of them.”
The hearing today discussed various legal points about future hearings – including what evidence will be needed. It was agreed that an ‘accident reconstruction’ and various site visits should take place, to better understand the exact sequences of events that lead to Sarah’s injuries. This would require High Barnet station being closed for a period of time.
The lawyer representing TfL said: “We recognise this is a tragic case in which the claimant sustained horrific injuries. Nothing I say today seeks to diminish the consequences that have been sustained by the [Sarah].”
Thomas Jervis, a partner at law firm Leigh Day, which is representing Sarah, said: “This case is incredibly important and may have a profound impact on how London’s transport network is operated in the future.”
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.”
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