Commuter who suffered serious injuries falling down gap between platform and Tube launches High Court claim against TfL

Sarah de Lagarde, from Camden, was run over by two Northern line trains at High Barnet station in September 2022, resulting in the loss of her right arm and leg.

On Wednesday last week (25 June), she attended the first High Court hearing in her case against London Underground Limited, which is part of TfL, before Judge Master Roger Eastman.

In a statement outside court, Ms de Lagarde claimed that TfL’s “initial reaction” to the incident was to label her as a “drunk woman” and suggest it was her fault.

She said: “This baseless claim has since been retracted but not before they scrutinized everything down to my choice of footwear. For the record, I wore flat shoes – not high heels.”

She continued: “Back in October last year, Mayor Sadiq Khan specifically told TfL not to victim-blame. But 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.”

At the hearing, the judge indicated that an eight-day trial would be listed at the High Court for early 2027.

Representing the claimant, 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.”

Lottie Winson