A mother-of-two who lost an arm and a leg when she was crushed by two Tube trains after slipping on a wet platform has accused Transport for London (TfL) of ‘blaming’ her after they claimed she ‘contributed’ to her life-changing injuries.
Sarah de Lagarde, 47, was left fearing she was going to die after she fell through the gap at High Barnet station in north London in September 2022.
The City worker, who was left stranded on the tracks as no one could hear her screams, was run over by two London Underground Tube trains and needed her right arm and right leg amputated.
Recalling the terrifying moment she was left to fight for her life, Ms de Lagarde, from Camden, north London, told MailOnline: ‘I knew in that moment, there was a high chance I was going to die on those Northern Line tracks.
‘I started to think about by children, and I knew I owed it to them to come home. I thought to myself, there is no way I am dying here. I need to be with my daughters.’
The PR executive, who now uses two prosthetic limbs including a bionic arm, has launched a legal battle against London Underground Ltd (LUL), part of Transport for London (TfL), and is seeking £25million in compensation.
But in defence documents submitted to the High Court, TfL denies liability, arguing her injuries were the result of her own negligence. They claim she ‘placed herself in a position of danger’ because she was ‘negligent’ in how she got off the train.
MailOnline understands Ms de Lagarde was referred to as an ‘intoxicated female’ on TfL’s incident reporting form, however this was retracted with an apology as it was not true and there was no evidence to back it up.
Outraged Ms de Lagarde pointed out that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has specifically told TfL not to ‘victim-blame’, adding: ‘But yes – TfL is blaming me for being run over and crushed by not one, but two London Underground trains.
Sarah de Lagarde was left fearing she was going to die after she fell through the gap between a train and the platform at High Barnet station in north London in September 2022
Ms de Lagarde is pictured at the Royal London Hospital trauma ward after the accident
MailOnline understands Ms de Lagarde (above) was referred to as an ‘intoxicated female’ on TfL’s incident reporting form, however this was retracted with an apology as it was not true and there was no evidence to back it up
‘I have been aware of this for some time, but now this is part of its formal High Court defence, TfL can no longer keep this information behind closed doors.’
Ms de Lagard said it has been a ‘running theme’ from TfL to ‘blame’ her, explaining: ‘TfL’s initial reaction was to label me as a drunk woman wearing high heels, both claims were baseless and have since been withdrawn.
‘TfL has posters up across its network urging everyone to ‘be kind’, which couldn’t be further from how they have treated me.’
She also told of the horror moment where ‘no one responded to my screams for help’ before she was struck not once, but twice.
Ms de Lagarde, global head of corporate affairs at investment firm Janus Henderson, added: ‘The first train took my arm, and the second train took my leg.
‘But 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.
‘Last week at the High Court I listened, as in great detail TfL began to formalise its attempts to blame me for being hit by two of its trains.
‘Following the hearing, I stood outside and told those who had come to see me how grateful I was for their continued support. It was miraculous that I survived, but what happened that evening on the Northern Line has cost me dearly.’
Ms de Lagarde said that despite TFL’s attempts to ‘blame’ her, she is ‘not disheartened’. ‘Quite the opposite, I am optimistic,’ she defiantly said.
Ms de Lagarde was on the tracks for 15 minutes before the alarm was raised.
Speaking previously, 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.’
Outraged Ms de Lagarde pointed out that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (above) has told TfL not to ‘victim-blame’, adding: ‘But yes – TfL is blaming me for being run over and crushed by not one, but two London Underground trains’
Ms de Lagarde fell on to the tracks at High Barnet station, pictured, on her commute home after she fell asleep and missed her intended stop
In defence documents submitted to the High Court by TfL‘s legal team and seen by MailOnline, TfL suggest ‘the incident was caused or contributed to by the claimant’s negligence’.
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.
On Wednesday June 25, Ms de Lagarde attended the first High Court hearing in her case against London Underground Limited, which is part of Transport for London before Judge Master Roger Eastman.
The judge indicated that an eight-day trial would be listed at the High Court for early 2027.
Mrs de Lagarde at a rehabilitation centre, getting fitted for her bionic arm
She was travelling home to Camden from work when she fell down the gap
The mother suffered from PTSD and said she will never use the Underground again
Ms de Lagarde lost her right arm and leg after being crushed by the tube
TfL say 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 were alerted.
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 on to an ‘accessibility hump’, a slope of a ramp that is designed to make it easier for wheelchair users to board trains.
Ms de Lagarde speaks outside the Royal Courts of Justice in February last year prior to launching legal action
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 were alerted (Stock Image of High Barnet station)
An investigation by TfL found that the ramp was ‘in principle compliant’ with TfL’s standards and that ‘passengers stepping on to 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 she underwent surgery before being transferred to the Amputee Rehabilitation Unit in Lambeth on October 20.
Three air ambulance medics helped save the life of Ms de Lagarde (above), with Dr Benjamin Marriage and paramedics Chris Doyle and Kevin Cuddon receiving a national bravery award
She was discharged home on December 1, 2022. Ms de Lagarde receives ongoing care at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore.
Representing Ms de Lagarde, Leigh Day partner Thomas Jervis 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.
‘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.’
