Last week, an Amtrak train traveling 15-20 mph crashed into a train unlading passengers at an Oakland station injuring 17 people, all whom suffered only minor and non-life-threatening injuries, according to reports. The crash happened around 10pm on Wednesday, October 12th and victims were taken to local hospitals. A train went through a red light and hit a stationary train. At the time of the crash the wheels of each lead engine went off the track. According to one report, an Amtrak representative state that the moving train should have never continued past the red signal because that signal is the equivalent to a red light.
Amtrak and the owner of the tracks, Union Pacific Freight Railroad, will monst likely work with federal officials to investigate the crash. After any train accident many important questions must be answered. Was the conductor negligent or the train company? Were the brakes not working properly? Was the conductor negligent in operating the train? Was he under the influence of any drugs or alcohol or did have any intent to cause the accident? In this particular case it is doubtful that negligence has anything to do with lack of training. What training do you need to know to stop at a red signal? But you never know. The fact is that proving mere negligence here is not a problem, but it might to prove anything more than that, such as proving reckless disregard of the safety of the passengers. State of mind of the conductor will most probably be examined.
Luckily none of the injuries suffered in this particular accident were catastrophic. Often train accidents involve serious injuries and even fatalities. When that does happen, victims and their surviving family members may be eligible to file a claim for compensation. After such an accident, victims and their families should contact a knowledgeable attorney with experience handling claims against public entities such as Amtrak. Anyone who has suffered an injury after being involved in a train accident should contact our experienced train accident attorney who can inform them of their rights. Also, anyone who has suffered an injury significant enough to cause them to see a doctor, take time off work, pay medical bills, go through lengthy pain and suffering, and seek physical rehabilitation, could find relief by hiring our personal injury attorney to file a claim on their behalf.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries due to being involved in a train accident and would like information on how to protect your rights, please immediately call our firm. Our expert train accident attorney works on a contingency fee basis, which means we are paid after we obtain a recovery for our clients. If we do not obtain a recovery, then our clients owe us nothing. It is important to note that your legal rights will be fully protected by our law firm. With over 10 years’ experience filing claims and lawsuits against public entities such as Amtrak, our firm will work competently and aggressively to get you the compensation you deserve.