re: diaries/record keeping-thanks Beating the pain barrier at...

re: diaries/record keeping-thanks
Beating the pain barrier at train stations
Fiona Hudson
30dec03

A MAN who suffered painful injuries when a ticket barrier snapped shut on his groin at Flinders St station has won a confidential payout.

The case, settled out of court in October, has raised questions about the safety of self-closing ticket gates.
The man who won the secret payout was taking his grandchildren on a trip from Clayton to the city when the accident happened in January 2001.

In documents lodged at the County Court, lawyers for the man claimed he inserted a valid ticket at a Flinders St ticket gate.

"Without unreasonable delay, he started walking through the barrier when it suddenly snapped shut," the statement of claim said.









"The right-hand wedge of the barrier hit his scrotum and the left-hand wedge hit his left buttock."

The man sued ERG Ltd, the parent company of Onelink, responsible for installing and maintaining the automatic entrance barriers.

The man claimed he suffered a large cyst that had to be surgically removed from his left testicle, a smaller cyst on his right testicle, incontinence, and loss of function.

He sought compensation for pain and loss of earnings.

Lawyers for the man raised concerns that the barrier shut with sufficient force to injure an adult male and that there were no warning signs.

The injured man has since moved to New South Wales and could not be contacted. His lawyers declined to comment.

A spokesman for ERG said the settlement included a confidentiality clause and he could not comment.

A spokeswoman for Flinders St station operator Connex said staff checked automated gates daily and were satisfied they would not cause injury.

Public Transport Users Group spokeswoman Anna Morton said the case raised questions about the safety of automatic ticket barriers. "The gates should have safeguards so the barriers don't close on people," she said.