Thomas Kline: Transit agency inspects, fixes escalators and revamps legal department

After Tom Kline secured a $51 million verdict in the case of a little boy whose foot was torn off in a subway station escalator, the Philadelphia mass transit agency approved a $30 million program to revamp its entire escalator system. Inspections were stepped up, preventive maintenance improved and the agency hired an outside firm to inspect all of its 38 escalators. The result was that 10 escalators were completely replaced and new safety features were added to others. The transit agency, which had been fined after trial by the presiding judge for concealing documents, also revamped its entire legal department and pledged to create an improved system to investigate accidents as well as to enhance its handling of legal claims.