Train Accident & Injury Lawyers (PATCO) Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia Train Accident and Injury Lawyers Effectively Represent Clients Injured in PATCO Train Accidents
In most cases, trains provide a safe, efficient and convenient transportation option for thousands of area residents who use Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) trains to commute into New Jersey and throughout the greater Philadelphia area every day. The high-speed PATCO transit line operates 24 hours per day to connect Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, across the Delaware River. Currently, approximately 38,000 area residents rely upon PATCO trains each day for transportation across the region. Most people who use PATCO trains for transportation give very little thought to the safe operation of the train—after all, you are not driving while using the train for transportation, and in all likelihood, have very little understanding of what it takes for a train to operate safely.
Despite this, when a train accident occurs, the results can be catastrophic and even deadly. PATCO is a rapid transit transportation option, meaning that, by definition, PATCO trains travel at high speeds—so that injuries sustained in these types of train accidents can be much more serious.
The experienced train accident and injury lawyers at the Marrone Law Firm, LLC have the knowledge necessary to successfully pursue a claim for compensation if you have been injured in a PATCO train accident. It is important to act quickly after a train accident to preserve your right to recover compensation for your injuries, so call our lawyers today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your options.
How do PATCO Train Accidents Occur?
Train accidents can happen quickly, and to the average commuter, the cause of the accident may not be immediately apparent. Train accidents can occur when:
- The train itself derails
- The train collides with a car that is crossing the tracks
- The train collides with a pedestrian who is crossing the tracks
- Two trains collide
- Sudden jolts in the train operation that cause injuries to unrestrained passengers, even if the train itself is not formally involved in a physical “accident”
Discovering the actual cause of the accident can be especially complicated in train accident cases, because there are significantly more complexities in operating the train itself. At the Marrone Law Firm, LLC, our skilled train accident and injury lawyers will put in the work necessary to determine whether a train accident was caused by:
- Negligence on the part of the train operator
- Overworked or fatigued train employees and operators
- Improperly maintained train components, including mechanical and electrical systems
- Failure to properly inspect the train and train safety features, including braking systems
- Unsafe conditions on the train tracks
- Defects in the train components and systems
Tenacious Train Accident and Injury Lawyers at the Marrone Law Firm, LLC Go to Battle for Clients Injured in PATCO Train Accidents
Negligence can cause a severe train accident in any number of ways, from situations where a train operator is too fatigued to properly operate the train to cases where a train employee failed to properly switch the trains between various track systems. As they are considered “common carriers”, strict safety regulations and standards apply to both the entity that owns and operates the train system and to the person responsible for driving the train itself.
At the Marrone Law Firm, LLC, our lawyers have the knowledge and resources necessary to investigate and evaluate these cases to determine the cause of your train accident, and fight to recover fair compensation so that you can get the treatment you need for your injuries, both in terms of current required treatment and future rehabilitative care.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With an Experienced Philadelphia-Area Train Accident and Injury Lawyer Today
If you have sustained injuries in a PATCO train accident, you are likely facing mounting medical expenses and a potentially overwhelming recovery period. You need a lawyer who you can trust by your side to handle the details of insurance claims, and to fight to make sure you get the compensation that you deserve.
Call our offices today, or fill out this online form, to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss any questions that you have relating to your case or injuries with an experienced Philadelphia-area train accident and injury lawyer. We have two office locations for your convenience, which are located at 200 South Broad Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19102 and 532 Marlton Pike West, 2nd Floor, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002.
Not every case will require a formal lawsuit to recover compensation for your train accident injuries. In all cases, however, it is best to begin working toward recovering compensation as soon as possible after your accident. Evidence supporting your claim will often become more difficult to locate, and may be less reliable, if a significant time has passed between the accident and our investigation. If a lawsuit does become necessary, the two-year statute of limitations period that applies to personal injury lawsuits in Pennsylvania may be relevant, but a six-month notice period will also apply in cases where the vehicle involved was owned by the government. This means that we must provide the agency operating PATCO with notice of your intent to file a claim within six months after the train accident took place.
Yes. Train crossing accidents can occur for any number of reasons, but the entity operating the train has a duty to make sure that all train crossing safety equipment—including lights and other signals—are in proper working condition at all times. In some cases, an accident can be caused when the safety equipment is simply not working properly, and in other cases, it may be possible to show that a train employee failed to take an action necessary to alert those in the vicinity to the train’s approach.