A good Samaritan who tried to help an injured stranger on the doomed Metro-North train is one of the over 30 new people who plan to sue after last month’s deadly derailment, The Post has learned.
Thirty-six new notices of claim against the beleaguered railroad have been filed since the Dec. 1 crash according to a Metro-North spokesman.
Carl Short, a dental equipment salesman from Westchester was in the second car of the train, on his way to a dental convention before the train crashed.
When it went off the tracks, he didn’t panic or try to escape, but instead, bravely focused on helping a badly hurt passenger who had blood pouring down her face, and several broken bones.
Short quickly used his scarf to put pressure on her head to stop the bleeding, staying by the woman’s side to comfort her until medics arrived.
The badly hurt passenger happened to a dentist — also heading to the same convention. She was treated at an intensive care unit at an area hospital.
Short meanwhile, was injured himself — hurting his neck, head, and back, and missing work because of the crash.
Despite his good deed, lawyer Michael S. Lamansoff said his client doesn’t consider himself a hero.
“He did what he thought was the right thing to do,” he said. “The dentist didn’t know this angel of a man that helped stop her bleeding before the emergency medical people could arrive.”
Lamansoff’s firm has taken the lead in representing many other passengers suing Metro-North and the train engineer, including a retired military vet, student, and a building engineer.
All were aboard the train when it derailed on a sharp curve in the Spuyten-Duyvil section of the Bronx after its driver dozed off.
Just four notices of claim against the railroad were filed as of Dec. 5, The Post reported at the time.
Sweeping changes have been made at the railroad since then — such as having a second crew member accompany the train’s engineer until safety upgrades to the signal system are made.
Fifty federal investigators are also currently conducting a head-to-toe safety review on the railroad.