Norfolk, VA Railroad Accident Lawyer Report – Six Injured in Amtrak Crash

Six people were injured in a crash between a tractor-trailer and an Amtrak train in Michigan on the morning of Feb. 1.

The Amtrak train was heading from Pontiac to Chicago when it derailed in Jackson County, the Detroit News reported. It hit a tractor-trailer truck around 8:15 a.m. near Michigan Avenue and Portage Road in Leoni Township, according to police.

Six people were transported to a local hospital. According to reports none of the injuries were serious.

See this video about Amtrak derailments.

As an experienced Norfolk, VA railroad accident injury attorney, I’m concerned that yet another crash has taken place on a crossing, although I am relieved that none of the victims appear to have been seriously injured.

Crossings are potentially highly dangerous places in which trains come into contact with trucks and cars. Last year I wrote about an accident on a crossing in Goose Creek, South Carolina (SC) which was the 17th at that crossing since the 1970s.

Cities such as Norfolk and Portsmouth, VA have numerous railroad crossings where cars and trucks come into close contact with trains. The arrival of the Tide light rail system in Norfolk, VA has increased the number of these locations.

While those injured in Michigan appear to have had a lucky escape, accidents involving trains and vehicles at crossings can be devastating.

In 2011, six people were killed in a crash in Reno, Nevada after a truck hit an Amtrak train on a railroad crossing. Lawsuits have since been filed against both the trucking company and Amtrak.