Train Accidents and Injuries
According to the Federal Highway Administration, a train strikes a vehicle or a pedestrian at a rail crossing approximately every 2 hours in the United States.
Cases involving railroad accidents are often complex and difficult. If you or someone you love has been injured in a railroad accident, it is essential that you seek legal advice from railroad accident attorneys with experience in railroad litigation. The railroad accident attorneys at Stipe, Harper, Laizure, Uselton, Edwards & Belote have such experience and are fully qualified to help those who have suffered railroad accident related injuries.
Although the vast majority of railroad accidents are minor, they can also be catastrophic due to the impact of the force against whatever the train hits. In 1999, 2,700 railroad accidents caused more than 900 wrongful deaths.
Railroads continue to play a vital role in the American economy. There are more than one hundred thousand miles of rail line throughout the country. While passenger use of railroads has declined over time, rail transportation continues as a popular high-volume, low-cost method to ship freight and goods.
Railroads are responsible for passenger safety and can be held liable for injuries caused by elements in their control. In a railroad crossing, a railroad company and its train crew must use reasonable care to avoid injury to anyone traveling on highways crossed by the train tracks. This issue becomes complicated when one considers that it takes about one third of a mile to stop a train moving at an average speed.
Most railroads are operated and owned by the government, which means that injury claims are governed by the "torts claims acts". These laws have strict time limitations for reporting injuries and filling law suits and are significantly more complicated than the laws governing motor vehicle accidents. Hiring a railroad accident attorney who is familiar with the laws governing railroad accidents is crucial. Deaths and injuries are preventable. For more information about railroad accident litigation or to schedule an evaluation of your case, please feel free to contact the experienced train accident attorneys at the Stipe Law Firm for a free consultation.
