Railroad Accidents Attorney
When most of us think of accidents involving transportation, we most likely immediately imagine the type involving automobiles. While it’s true that car accidents are always a risk worth keeping in mind, another very dangerous type is railroad accidents. To those of us who don’t often travel by train nor have tracks in our immediate area, it may seem like the risk is relatively minimal. Nonetheless, they probably happen more than you think, which is why it’s important you understand how to react if you were to find yourself affected by one.
Annual Railroad Accidents
To drive the point home a bit further, let’s take a look at some statistics involving railroad accidents. Between 2012 and 2014 (the last day we have information for), there were 5,153 accidents reported by the Federal Railroad Administration Office of Safety Analysis. The breakdown looks like this:
- 2012: 1,759
- 2013: 1,816
- 2014: 1,578
It’s important to point out that many of these accidents involved parts of the train most of us know nothing about. Furthermore, they didn’t result in any serious injuries.
That being said, as Popular Mechanics pointed out last year, hundreds of people die annually in this country from railroad accidents.
However, not every railroad accident is this grisly. In fact, many don’t even involve a train. One very common type of railroad accident people sue for are slip and falls. Railroad platforms can become slippery for any number of reasons. Unfortunately, this means people sometimes slip and hurt themselves. Often, this makes a lawsuit necessary to retrieve damages the injured party is entitled to.
Holding Parties Responsible
There can be all kinds of reasons a railroad accident ends up affecting you, even if you weren’t taking the train. Another common type of accident results from faulty machinery not giving pedestrians or drivers proper notice that a train was coming.
If you find a loved one or yourself negatively affected by a train, a railroad, or any equipment or property owned by either, take time to consider the benefits of filing a lawsuit against those responsible. You shouldn’t have to be further burdened by someone else’s mistake. Damages may be the only way you are able to get back up on your feet.
This type of incident is what qualifies as a common carrier accident. That means that anyone from the local railroads, the company owning the train, and/or the operator themselves can all be held responsible if something goes wrong that ends up hurting other people. As with accidents involving commercial truckers, you may also find that a manufacturer played a role. It’s not rare for more than one party to be mentioned in a single suit.
Contact a Lawyer Immediately
Depending on the nature of your injury, you may need medical attention. Obviously, this should be your priority after a railroad accident. However, as soon as possible, you must contact an attorney. In most states, you have a small window of time before the statute of limitations runs out. When that happens, no judge will hear your case, no matter what the circumstances are.
Also, if the railroad in question is owned or otherwise operated by a government agency, tort laws may come into play, which is another reason to get an attorney involved as soon as you can. Without giving the government proper notice, you can actually lose your case, so there’s not a moment to lose.
Don’t let something like a railroad accident ruin your life. Instead, fight back by bringing your grievances to court. With an experienced railroad accident attorney who understands how to proceed, you can get the damages that are rightfully yours and begin moving on with your life.
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