Whether used to transport goods and raw materials, carry people to and from work, like the Tri-Rail, MetroRail and Metromover, or as a leisurely way to take a scenic vacation, trains are a popular mode of transportation throughout the country. Sadly, a number of crashes involving trains with other vehicles and pedestrians continue to happen in Florida and other U.S. cities. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), in 2013, 891 people were killed in train accidents, including 520 pedestrians and 345 light rail and commuter passengers. And in 2014, the DOT says there were 2,280 motor vehicle-train accidents in the U.S. that killed 267 motorists and injured 832. If you or a loved one has been injured in a train accident, an experienced train accident injury lawyer in Fort Lauderdale at the Montero Law Center can help you seek compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages – both present and future – disability, and wrongful death damages if a family member was killed.

Train accidents commonly involve inattentive operators, improper equipment maintenance or some form of mechanical failure that can lead to serious mishaps, such as:

  • Derailment;
  • Collisions with vehicles;
  • Collisions with other trains;
  • Platform slip-and-fall accidents; and
  • Pedestrian injuries or fatalities.

Train Accidents Underscore the Many Dangers to the Public

Passengers, bystanders, vehicle occupants and pedestrians can suffer serious injuries or death from a train accident. Many railroad crossings are improperly (or not) equipped with safety gates and lights, or the devices might not work properly. Crossings are especially dangerous to motor vehicle drivers and pedestrians when a train suddenly approaches. But defective signals and gates at a railroad crossing – or their absence altogether – aren’t the only dangers. Others include:

  • Trains that fail to sound their horns and use their lights when approaching a crossing;
  • Trains parked too close to a crossing, which creates an obstacle to the driver’s view; and
  • Crossings obstructed by plant overgrowth and other foreign objects.

Even if a train hits a car at only 10 miles per hour, the occupants still can suffer debilitating injuries or death.

Derailments also cause catastrophic damage. These accidents are almost always the result of failure to follow safety standards. Many trains carry hazardous chemicals that can spill in an accident and cause explosions and noxious chemical leaks that lead to large-scale evacuations, injuries or deaths.

All of these types of train accidents have a common theme. Whether they’re disastrous wrecks or passenger slip-and-falls on MetroRail platforms, they are usually caused by someone else’s negligence. Poorly maintained facilities, improperly trained or tired, overworked operators, or simple thoughtlessness, can seriously injure or kill people. These injuries can produce limb amputations, severe head or spine trauma, and grave internal injuries that can all lead to a lifetime of permanent disability or death. A recent example is the AMTRAK wreck in Philadelphia in May 2015 that killed eight and sent more than 200 to the hospital, many with life-threatening injuries.

Contact Montero Law Center if You Suffered an Injury

Train accident injury lawsuits are complicated and may be subject to different laws; especially if you were injured by a government-operated AMTRAK or MetroRail train. And for-profit railroad corporations are protected by expensive law firms who are notorious for denying responsibility. This is particularly the case with accidents at railroad crossings. Despite these obstacles, our firm has had success with these cases. Contact the Montero Law Center at 954-767-6500 to request a free consultation with a train accident injury lawyer in Fort Lauderdale or click here to fill out our case evaluation form.