California Train Accident Lawyer
Train accidents are far more common than you might believe. Typically, train crashes occur when vehicles stall on railroad tracks, operators are distracted, equipment malfunction, or caused due to confusing signals at road crossings.
When a truck accident happens, the financial impact on a victim and their family can be devastating.
Fortunately, the law does offer some recourse for injured victims, so the at-fault parties can pay the cost of their negligence. Our Los Angeles personal injury law firm specializes in recovering compensation for our clients who are injury victims caused by the negligence of a train or railroad operator.
Our legal teams provide immediate intervention to preserve all evidence that is important to the most successful case outcome.
Like buses, trains provide a convenient, cost-effective way for commuters to travel long distances. With almost forty passenger carriers, California's state-supported system transports more than five million passengers every year. Unlike buses, however, trains travel at high speeds.
When a train strikes another vehicle, the impact is often so great that the driver and passengers of the vehicle suffer debilitating permanent injuries.
Train passengers are vulnerable because their bodies continue to move inside the train car at the same high speed, unrestrained by seat belts, even after the train has crashed. People can fly forward through the windshield, striking other objects within the train car, suffering potentially fatal impact injuries.
Common Causes of Railroad Accidents
Although much has been done in recent years to improve the safety of railroads and commuter trains, frequent causes of railroad accidents still include:
- Defective traffic lights or signs
- Negligent, tired, or inexperienced train conductors
- Unsafe road or railway conditions
- Train mechanism defects
What Should You Do If Involved in a Train Accident?
After the initial shock of being in a train crash, you will probably wonder what you should do next. Seeking medical attention for any injuries is your priority. Afterward, you should follow certain steps to make sure you can obtain the maximum recovery for injuries.
First, keep your statements to any investigators to a bare minimum without first consulting with a train accident attorney. Next, you should preserve any evidence helpful to your potential injury claim. Keep in mind that investigating authorities from the train company will have their interest.
Don't count on local or federal investigators to do a thorough job investigating the causes of the train accident.
Takedown some notes as soon as possible after the accident, such as any braking before the crash, location of impact, witnesses, weather, and emergency personnel who responded to the accident.
If your vehicle was involved in the crash, notify your insurance company immediately, but don't forget that an insurance representative's priority is to protect their best interest. Finally, call an experienced injury lawyer at our law firm who has a clear understanding of train accident claims and the complex laws that surround these types of injury claims.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for Compensation?
As with all mass transportation accidents in Los Angeles County, every accident has its own set of unique circumstances and evidence. It may be possible there was just a single cause of the train accident or multiple linking causes.
We will need to closely examine the incident to determine responsible parties. Our law firm might even need the assistance of experts, such as an accident reconstruction expert or engineers.
There are a variety of parties that could be held responsible for the train accident that caused your injuries. These include the public agency or company that is responsible for daily operations of the train, manufacturer of the train or signal equipment, or the driver of the vehicle that caused the crash.
Financial Compensation in Your Train Accident Case
If you have been injured in a train accident, you could be entitled to damages. No matter what caused your train accident, you deserve the maximum compensation for your injuries. Because every accident and injury is unique, the type of available damages will vary.
We may be able to help you recover damages for medical expenses, home care costs, lost wages, earning capacity, pain and suffering, and property damages. If the unfortunate circumstance of the death of a family member, we can help you recover wrongful death damages.
Trains and railroads are often regulated by public entities, giving you a shorter period within which to file your claim.
Time is of the essence! Critical evidence could be lost if too much time passes after the train accident.
We will aggressively work to obtain all the compensation you are entitled to for your injuries. Our attorneys will identify all parties responsible for the accident, preserve critical evidence, take witness statements, hire experts to prove your case, and negotiate with insurance companies, train companies, and relevant government agencies to obtain a fair settlement offer.
If necessary, we will fight the case in court when a settlement is not possible.
We can help you obtain payments for your medical bills, and pain and suffering compensation.
We will take all the time necessary to discuss the specific details of the accident and injuries to determine available options to help you get what you are entitled to. We can focus on obtaining maximum compensation for your injuries, allowing you to recover as fully as possible from the physical and emotional trauma you endured in the train accident. We are paid only if we successfully resolve your case. No recovery, no fee!
Related Information: Catastrophic Injuries | Spinal Cord Injuries