Amtrak Train/Subway/Metrolink Accident Injury Lawyers

Train Accident Injury Lawyers

The tragic news of the recent Amtrak train crash in Mendon, Missouri, which killed four and injured dozens, has highlighted a fact that is perhaps not well-known or recognized by the general population – railway crashes and derailments leading to serious injuries occur all-too-frequently.

Amtrak Train/Subway/Metrolink Accident Injury Lawyers

• 2022 Train Accident/Derailment Statistics
• Why Do So Many Train Accidents and Derailments Happen in the United States?
• What are the Most Common Train Accident Scenarios?
• What is a Wrongful Death Train Accident Lawsuit?
• Who is Liable/Can be Sued After a Train Accident or Derailment?
• What Should I Do After Being Injured in a Train Accident?
• Contact a Train Accident Injury or Wrongful Death Lawyer Today for a Free Consultation

In fact, the National Safety Council (NSC) reports that in 2020, railroad incidents resulted in 5,479 injuries.

Dordulian Law Group’s California train accident lawyers represent injured victims as well as surviving family members of loved ones who tragically died due to negligence or carelessness in derailments. We serve clients throughout California as well as the United States.

2022 Train Accident/Derailment Statistics

The Bureau of Transportation (BTS) reports that eight total fatalities involving three separate train derailments occurred in 2021.

But train derailments and accidents leading to injuries or fatalities are put into a more precise context with the following BTS statistics:

The total number of train (freight and passenger) accidents recorded for 2021 was 1,579. Of those:

• 1,056 were derailments
• 92 were collisions
• 431 were defined as “other”

In 2021, 104 total injuries were recorded in train accidents. Of those train accident injuries:

• 70 were due to derailments
• 7 were due to collisions
• 27 were due to “other” or unspecified scenarios

Can I File a Lawsuit for an Train Accident Injury?

And while the 757 recorded railroad deaths (meaning derailments as well as accidents involving other factors like motor vehicle collisions, pedestrians/trespassers, etc.) in 2020 represented a decrease of more than 12%, and the general trend of deaths and nonfatal injuries involving trains is decreasing, those figures according to data provided by the National Safety Council are still quite sobering.

Some additional statistics regarding deaths and nonfatal injuries in train/railroad accidents include:

• In 2020, nonfatal train accident injuries totaled 5,479 (a 33% decrease from the 2019 revised total of 7,983).
• From 2019 to 2020, fatalities at highway-rail crossings decreased 32%, while fatalities involving other types of incidents decreased 1%.
• The latter included 529 deaths (94%) attributed to trespassers.
• 10 train/railroad employees were killed while on duty, a 25% increase compared to the 2019 death toll.
• There were two train passenger deaths in 2020 (up from one death in 2019).

The following graphic provided by the National Safety Council offers an important reminder that while train accident injuries and fatalities are decreasing year-to-year, they still occur much more often than is acceptable.

Why Do So Many Train Accidents and Derailments Happen in the United States?

Sadly, the vast majority of train accidents and derailments are actually preventable tragedies. Amtrak, Metrolink, Caltrain, subway, and High Speed Rail accidents and derailments can cause serious or even catastrophic injuries, such as:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Broken or fractured bones
• Scarring or disfigurement
• Loss of limb
• Paralysis
• Soft tissue damage
• Death

If you’ve been injured in a train accident, you may be facing mounting medical bills on top of significant inconveniences such as pain and suffering, lost wages, and more. Filing a personal injury train accident lawsuit can be a means of recovering the financial compensation you not only deserve but also required to make a complete recovery – physically, emotionally, and financially.

If you’ve been injured in a train accident or derailment, you may be eligible to recover various types of damages through a civil lawsuit:

• Pain and suffering
• Hospital or medical bills
• Physical therapy or rehabilitation
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Emotional or psychological trauma
• Loss of consortium

The dedicated train accident injury lawyers at Dordulian Law Group (DLG) are standing by to answer any questions you have, review the facts of your case, discuss all available legal options, and provide you with an estimate for how much your claim is worth.

Contact us today for a free and no obligation consultation to review your California train accident injury case at 818-322-4056.

What are the Most Common Train Accident Scenarios?

Train accidents occurring in California and nationwide can be due to any number of scenarios. The most common factors that DLG’s train accident injury lawyers encounter include:

• Train accidents involving pedestrians/trespassers
• Train accidents involving motor vehicle collisions (passenger cars, commercial trucks, motorcycles, etc.)
• Train derailments
• Train accidents due to operator/employee error
• Train accidents due to mechanical or equipment failure
• Train accidents involving multiple trains/railways
• Wrongful death train accidents

Ready to file a claim and pursue justice through a financial damages award? Our expert attorneys are available online or by phone now.

What is a Wrongful Death Train Accident Lawsuit?

When fatalities occur as a result of negligence in a train accident or derailment, the surviving family members may choose to bring a wrongful death civil action to recover financial compensation.

In wrongful death train accident lawsuits, DLG’s experienced lawyers typically pursue damages which fall under three categories:

• Economic
• Non-economic
• Punitive

Let’s review those wrongful death train accident damages categories in greater detail below.

Wrongful death train accident economic damages may include:

• Funeral and burial expenses
• Medical bills related to the accident that killed your loved one
• The loss of benefits family members could have received from the decedent
• The value of the decedent’s health insurance or pension
• The loss of financial support the decedent would have provided during their lifetime
• A reasonable value for the household services the decedent would have been able to provide

Wrongful death train accident non-economic damages may include:

• Loss of affection
• Loss of protection
• Loss of guidance and training
• The loss of support and companionship
• Loss of sexual relations
• Loss of moral support

When train accidents occur as a result of extreme recklessness or carelessness on the part of either an individual or company, punitive damages may be awarded.

Although such damages are rare, DLG’s experienced team of wrongful death train accident lawyers pursues punitive damages in all eligible cases.

In California, wrongful death train accident punitive damages are not capped, meaning the surviving family members may be eligible to recover substantial financial compensation in instances where wanton disregard for human life caused their loved one’s death.

Who is Liable/Can be Sued After a Train Accident or Derailment?

Train accidents or derailments leading to injuries or fatalities may warrant civil lawsuits against various types of defendants. Let’s look at those individually below.

Who can I sue after a train accident leading to an injury or death?

• Companies that own or operate trains may be held liable for damages via civil lawsuits. Common scenarios leading to civil claims being filed against Amtrak, Metrolink, and other train operating companies include failing to maintain their rail cars, trains, and equipment. Moreover, a train company may also be held liable for negligently hiring employees who lacked the experience or necessary qualifications to ensure your safety (or if they failed to provide appropriate training or supervision to those employees).
• Companies that manufacture train parts may be held liable for damages via civil lawsuits. Common scenarios leading to civil claims being filed against train manufacturers or producers include cases where a manufacturing or product/equipment defect leads to a derailment or accident.
• Drivers of motor vehicles – including personal and commercial – may be held liable for damages via train accident civil lawsuits. For example, if a semi-truck driver failed to heed train crossing warnings or left a big rig vehicle on the track and an accident occurred, the driver (or the company employing the driver) may be named as a defendant in a train accident lawsuit.

What Should I Do After Being Injured in a Train Accident?

After a train accident or derailment injury, the most important step is seeking immediate medical attention to ensure that your health and well-being are addressed. But seeking medical care and undergoing an examination from a licensed physician not only ensures that your health is prioritized, it can also serve as critical documentation that helps you recover maximum financial compensation for your injuries when filing a civil claim for damages.

Other important steps to take after a train accident or derailment injury include:

• Take photos or videos of your injuries
• Gather any photos or videos of the accident scene if possible
• Gather witness statements via video or by taking notes
• Do not make an official statement without first consulting an experienced lawyer
• Do not accept any type of settlement or sign any legal documentation without a lawyer present
• Contact the best train accident lawyers at DLG for a free consultation

Contact a Train Accident Injury or Wrongful Death Lawyer Today for a Free Consultation

Dordulian Law Group (DLG) has over 25 years of experience fighting for personal injury victims and wrongful death beneficiaries and helping them obtain the justice they deserve through maximum financial compensation.

A train accident can be a traumatizing and harrowing experience which requires long-term medical care and a difficult road to recovery. At DLG, our train accident and derailment injury lawyers handle each client’s case with the utmost empathy and compassion. We’re here to support you through the entire legal process while aggressively fighting to obtain justice for the harm you’ve endured.

Furthermore, we believe everyone deserves access to the very best legal representation available, regardless of financial means. That’s why we offer a No Win/No Fee Guarantee, ensuring clients pay nothing unless we win. If we don’t recover maximum financial compensation for your train accident injury or wrongful death claim, you don’t pay a dime – it’s that simple.

We’ve helped clients secure over $200 million and will not settle for anything but the largest possible damages award for your personal injury or wrongful death train accident claim.

Contact us today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM for a free and no obligation consultation regarding your train accident or derailment lawsuit. We’re here to answer any questions you have while providing you with an unparalleled level of compassion, empathy, respect, professionalism, and excellence.

Client Review

“Can’t thank Dordulian Law Group enough. I was involved in a personal injury case that lasted a little over 1.5 years and despite it being lengthy their level of professionalism, promptness, and communication remained the same until the very end. Always seeking their clients best interest their attorneys are the best at what they do, I highly recommend them to you reading this review and everyone I know.”
Christian Iribe