Train Accident Lawyers Philadelphia, PA
Determined Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney Gets Settlements for Clients with Serious Injuries from Train Accidents in Pennsylvania
The average weight of a small train is at just about 200 tons. Being involved in an accident with these fast-paced, heavy steel locomotives can have catastrophic consequences for those on board. Whether it be a failure to maintain proper working order of a part of the train, a car stalling on the tracks, derailment, or some other cause, train accidents can result in significant physical injuries.
Although not as common as accidents on the road, there are about 3,000 train accidents in the U.S. each year, amassing a death count of about 1,000 victims. If you have suffered the misfortune of being injured in a Pennsylvania train accident and need coverage for your medical costs and related expenses, the experienced personal injury lawyers of Marrone Law Firm, LLC in Philadelphia can help support you on the legal side. Give us a call now to speak with one of our experienced litigators.
Contact our Philadelphia law office for a free consultation about your train accident case!
Types of Philadelphia Train Accidents
The different types of train accidents include:
- Derailments
- Train/train collisions
- Train/car collisions
- Railroad crossing accidents
- Railroad accidents
Common Causes of Train Accidents in Pennsylvania
Railroad Crossing Accidents and Collisions: Railroad crossing incidents can involve cars, trucks, obstacles, or even pedestrians. Unfortunately, there are also many cases of suicide seen every year across the US, with individuals using oncoming trains to commit suicide by standing or idling their car on the tracks.
Other common causes of railroad crossing accidents include:
- Faulty train signals or gates/barricades
- Trains that do not sound their horns or use their lights when approaching crossings
- Trains parked too close to a crossing
- Obstacles that block the way, such as cars or trucks
- Protrusion of objects from the train
- Failure to follow state guidelines for railroad crossing regulation.
- Visibility issues for the conductor can result in a failure to stop that could have prevented an accident from occurring
- Derailments
- Failure to regulate train mechanisms and parts, or failure to follow protocol standards, are the usual causes of train derailments. These types of train accidents tend to result in the most severe level of damage
Causes of derailments often include:
- Damaged or poorly regulated train tracks
- Failure to inspect train parts
- Obstacles on the tracks
- Equipment failure or issues
- Cargo weight that exceeds safety standards
Liability Difficulties and Challenges in Railroad Accident Claims in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania train accident cases, it can be a challenge to establish and prove liability. This is because there are many people involved with the regulation of trains and the railroad systems in PA. For instance, there are six different railroad inspectors who focus on different railroad disciplines. Pennsylvania also has unique regulations, rules, and standards for trains. To have a good case when filing a PA train accident claim, the victim’s attorney will likely need to prove that the liable party was responsible for the accident under the legal theory of proximate causation. This means that the defendant, or a reasonable person under the same circumstances, should have been able to predict that their negligent act would cause harm to someone.
Consult Our Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney for a Free Consultation About Your PA Train Accident Case
Although train accidents are rarer than those involving cars or trucks, there are still plenty of risks and instances of train-related accidents occurring in PA. Pennsylvania is home to about 5,600 miles of track and almost 9,000 railroad crossings. Pennsylvania also holds the record for the largest number of railroad companies operating in one state, with the number currently standing at 65. Our skilled personal injury lawyers at the Marrone Law Firm, LLC in Philadelphia are well aware that the injury risks involving trains are high. We help victims of train accidents file claims for financial damages and emotional distress. Contact us today by email or phone for a free initial consultation regarding your PA train accident claim.