SCHENECTADY - A former Pan Am Railways employee from Rensselaer County is suing the Massachusetts-based company  claiming its negligence led to a work place accident in December that caused him to lose his left hand. 

The suit, filed  last month in state Supreme Court in Schenectady by attorneys for plaintiff Matthew Larson, contends that Pan Am failed to  provide a safe work place environment by making sure the area where the train was traveling was free and clear of any trees, vegetation and any other potentially dangerous objects.

It also states that the company should have temporarily suspended some operations "in light of the poor weather conditions and visibility"  from the Dec. 15 snowstorm.

Pan Am could not be reached for comment.

Larson was a conductor for Pan Am, also known or doing business as Springfield Terminal Railway Co. Inc., and was knocked from a locomotive by an object, possibly a tree limb near the Glenville Industrial Park, off Route 5.

As  a result, he suffered severe injury to his arm, which was amputated, and will need more medical procedures and a prosthetic  arm, according to the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified monetary compensation..

"Prior to his injuries, the plaintiff was a  strong able-bodied man, is presently 22 years of age, but by reason of his injuries, he lost considerable time from his regular occupation, he has lost wages and will continue to lose wages in the future and it is unlikely that he will be able to return to his employment with the defendant," the lawsuit states. 

The suit states that as the train approached the switch from the Scotia yard to the main line, Larson, who had a lantern in his left arm,  gave a countdown of cars to signal the engineer to stop the engine. 

 An object then knocked Larson from the locomotive, resulting in his arm being severed, the suit states.