Railroad Passenger Injury Lawyer
When you choose to travel by train, you reasonably expect to arrive safely at your destination. As an economical, enjoyable and relaxing way to see the country, many people prefer trains over planes or cars. Sadly, when a railroad company is negligent in its duty to provide safe transport, a crash can result, injuring you or a loved one. With a combined 50 plus years of experience, the Virginia railroad passenger injury lawyers at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers help people injured in a train accident get the full and fair compensation they are entitled to.
Amtrak Crashes Lead to Numerous Passenger Injuries and Deaths
In recent years, Amtrak services have made all the wrong kinds of headlines due to wrecks caused by human error or the actions of other parties.
Deadly wrecks on Amtrak trains in recent years include:
Philadelphia Amtrak Crash – May, 2015
Eight people lost their lives and more than 200 were hurt in the accident when an Amtrak train traveling from Washington, D.C. to New York City derailed in Philadelphia. The Amtrak service was reaching speeds of 106 miles per hour in a 50 mph zone on a curve when the train derailed. Amtrak was ordered to pay $265 million to the crash victims and their families.
Chester, PA Amtrak Crash – April 2016
An Amtrak train derailed when it hit a backhoe on the tracks. Two Amtrak workers were killed and 35 people on the train were injured.
Washington State Amtrak Crash – December 2017
The Amtrak Cascades Train 501 derailed on Dec. 18 near DuPont, Washington, and hurtled off an overpass onto Interstate 5, killing three people and injuring more than 60. The train entered a 30 mph curve traveling 78 mph according the data recorder retrieved from the locomotive.
Amtrak Crash in Crozet, Virginia – January 2018
An Amtrak train carrying GOP lawmakers to a retreat in West Virginia hit a garbage truck on a grade crossing at Crozet in Virginia. A passenger on the garbage truck died. The truck driver and a passenger were injured and two crew members and two passengers on the train were treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center.
Amtrak Train Hits CSX Train in Cayce, South Carolina – February 2018
An Amtrak train hit a parked CSX train near Columbia in South Carolina, killing two Amtrak crew members and injuring 116 people. Investigators said CSX, which maintains the tracks, locked a switch, diverting the Amtrak train to the wrong track.
Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers has represented passengers who were hurt in the crashes in Washington State and South Carolina.
Understanding Passenger Rights After a Train Accident
Amtrak is one of the most popular passenger rail systems serving Virginia, but many residents also commonly use the VRE rail service and other popular commuter rails including the Tide, Norfolk’s light rail.
Passengers have lost their lives on commuter services as well as Amtrak services. In 2015, a Metro-North crash in New York killed five passengers and an SUV driver. The train hit a vehicle stuck on a grade crossing.
As a passenger, you have a right to a safe ride on any passenger train. This right includes holding the railroad company accountable if you get hurt en route. The railroad accident attorneys at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers have decades of experience helping passengers get compensated for railroad negligence so they can fully recover from their injuries.
When you are injured in a railroad accident, the railroad company will do everything possible to minimize the compensation they owe you. From the time of a railroad accident, their representatives will be at the hospital trying to get you to sign documents. Don’t do anything until you have spoken to an experienced railroad accident lawyer. Railroads employ powerful insurance companies and large law firms that will try to get you to accept an inadequate settlement. If your injuries are serious, there is no reason you should settle for less than you deserve. When you have lost a loved one in a train accident, we can initiate a wrongful death suit on your behalf.
Contact a Virginia Passenger Injury Attorney
Our experienced Virginia passenger injury lawyers can help you gather the evidence you need to support your claim and directly link your injuries to the railroad company’s negligence. Attorneys John Cooper and Jim Hurley, Bill O’Mara, Griff O’Hanlon and John Baker have decades of experience successfully pursuing compensation for injured railroad passengers. We treat every client the same way we would treat a member of our own family: with respect, commitment, and personal investment in the outcome of your case. If you or a loved one has been injured while a train passenger, please contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation.
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