Train Accidents
Although traveling by train is not as common as it once was in the United States, there are still thousands of miles of tracks and hundreds of railroads operating throughout the nation. Moreover, commuter trains are becoming a popular mass transit option in many large cities. Overall, traveling by train is a safe form of transportation; however, when a train is involved in a collision, victims often suffer serious, even fatal, injuries. If you were injured in a train accident, or you are the surviving loved one of someone who was killed in one, you may be entitled to compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial injuries caused by the accident. An experienced train accident attorney can review the unique facts and circumstances of your case and provide you with advice and guidance.
Train Accident Facts and Figures
- On average, there are approximately 1000 train accidents and incidents each month.
- Approximately 1000 people are killed each year in train accidents.
- There are over 200,000 railroad crossings in the U.S.
- Almost 80 percent of railroad crossings do not have adequate warning devices, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.
- Occupants of vehicles that collide with a train are 40 times more likely to die than if they had collided with another vehicle of comparable size.
Causes of Train Accidents
Given the variety of train systems operating in the U.S. and the complex nature of those systems, train accidents can occur under a wide variety of circumstances, including:
- Train colliding with a vehicle at a crossing
- Train colliding with an object on the tracks
- Train derails
- Train makes a sudden emergency stop
- Train colliding with another train
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Who Is Responsible for Injuries Sustained in a Train Accident?
While we commonly refer to them as train “accidents,” the reality is that when a train is involved in a collision it is typically the result of negligence. Negligence is the legal term used to assign fault or responsibility when a party is injured. In a train accident, the owner of the railroad, a parts manufacturer, and/or another vehicle may all be potentially liable. Determining who the negligent parties are in a train accident can be difficult given the often-catastrophic damage done to the involved vehicles. This is one of the many reasons why the victims of a train accident should consult with an experienced train accident attorney as soon as possible.
Am I Entitled to Compensation?
If you were injured, or lost a loved one, in a train crash, you have undoubtedly suffered physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial hardship as a result. While no amount of compensation is worth the suffering you have likely experienced, the law does allow you to pursue compensation from the negligent parties. Along with easing the financial hardship you have endured, pursuing your right to compensation also ensures that the responsible parties are held accountable for their wrongful conduct.
As a train accident victim, you may be able to recover both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include out of pocket expenses, such as medical bills, lost wages, and loss of future earning capacity, and other real, measurable, and objectively verifiable losses. Non-economic damages refer to what people commonly call “pain and suffering” but which actually includes disability and disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and other subjective or unquantifiable losses.
The amount of compensation you are entitled to will depend on several factors, including the severity of your personal injuries and the degree to which another party’s fault contributed to the accident. The best way to find out how to pursue a train accident lawsuit, and what your case might be worth, is to consult with an experienced train accident attorney right away.
