When you think about transportation accidents, the first thing that comes to mind might be a car, truck, or motorcycle collision. Surprisingly, train and subway accidents are just as threatening to the public as auto incidents. According to the Federal Railroad Administration Office of Safety Analysis, more than 800 fatalities occurred due to railroad accidents in 2019.
If you’ve been injured in a train accident caused by another person or company’s negligence, you should not be forced to bear the consequences. A Long Island railroad accident attorney from Morelli Law Firm can help you recover compensation for the losses and suffering you suffered as a result of the accident.
Injuries Our Railroad Accident Attorneys Have Experience With
The sheer weight and size of a train can make for tragic accidents. Since the potential for damage and injury is so high, train companies have a duty to make sure that their passengers and cargo are transported safely. They bear a responsibility to ensure that the vehicles are safely operated.
Unfortunately, train companies fail to uphold their obligation to public safety all too often. And when they do, the consequences can be devastating. If you’ve sustained one of the following injuries in a railroad accident, an attorney can use their experience with similar cases to win you compensation:
- Paralysis
- Spinal injury
- Back or neck injury
- Burns
- Concussion
- Scarring
- Whiplash
- Traumatic brain injury
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
How Our Railroad Accident Lawyers Can Help You
When it comes to railroad accident injuries, hiring one of our attorneys will give you the clearest path to compensation. They’ll analyze all the evidence relevant to your case and use what they find to hold the guilty party responsible.
Here’s how they’ll win you the payment you need put your injuries in the past:
- Learn about your injuries. To build a compensation claim, our lawyers will first need to understand the extent of your injuries. In order to do so, they’ll gather and analyze your medical records, medical bills, and insurance policy information.
- Investigate your accident. We will launch an independent investigation into your accident and uncover all the necessary evidence for your claim. Our railroad accident lawyers may collect dashcam footage, security camera footage, police records, witnesses’ information, and more to build a convincing case. Once we’ve completed your investigation we’ll know who was responsible for the accident and who you could potentially sue for damages.
- Negotiate with insurance companies. Our lawyers will first try to negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurer. If everything goes according to plan, their insurance company will do what’s right and offer you a settlement that takes your monetary and non-monetary losses into account.
- Take your case to trial. If we do not reach a reasonable settlement, we will not hesitate to escalate the issue to trial. Our railroad accident lawyers in Long Island are no strangers to a courtroom. They’ll know how to present your case in a way that shows the jury why you deserve payment for your losses.
Long Island Railroad Accident Lawyer Near Me 877-751-9800
Causes of Train Accidents and Derailments
While there can be many causes behind train crashes and derailments, most accidents share common factors like human error and equipment failure. Since such cases tend to be incredibly complex, it’s important to have a seasoned lawyer on your side.
Our train accident lawyers in Long Island will be able to determine if your rail transportation accident was caused by one of the following factors:
Driver Negligence
Careless vehicle drivers may try to cross a railroad before an approaching train arrives, putting themselves and everyone around them at risk of an accident. Such an action is dangerous, especially given the fact the train could be closer and moving faster than a driver could judge.
Poorly Maintained Railroads
Railroads need regular inspections and maintenance to ensure they can safely support the weight of the train. When those responsible for inspecting, maintaining, and repairing train tracks fail to uphold their responsibilities, accidents are highly likely to occur.
Malfunctioning Safety Devices
Drivers depend on crossing gates and bells to alert them of an oncoming train. If these devices malfunction or fail, a driver who is unaware of an approaching train may drive into its path and cause a severe accident.
Equipment Failure
Transportation companies must perform regular maintenance on their trains to ensure passenger safety. A poorly maintained train could develop mechanical problems that cause the operator to lose control, resulting in a derailment or crash.
Human Error
A train accident can also stem from the conductor or operator’s negligence. Examples of irresponsible train operation include:
- Operating the train under the influence of drugs and alcohol
- Exhausted train operation
- Reckless train operation
- Distracted train operation
You May Be Entitled to Compensation Following a Long Island Train Accident
If you’ve suffered injuries from a train accident, you might be entitled to pursue monetary compensation for your bills and other expenses. Depending on the hardships you’ve experienced, you could receive a number of different economic and non-economic railroad accident damages. Some of the economic damages you can recover include:
- Current and future medical expenses. These damages include all the treatment costs that you might incur after being involved in a train crash. If your injuries are severe enough to warrant extended medical care, the liable party can cover the cost of future treatments.
- Lost wages. Following a train accident, you may suffer injuries so severe that they prevent you from returning to work. Whether you are unable to work temporarily or permanently, you are entitled to recover compensation for paychecks you miss out on.
- Reduced earning capacity. If your Long Island railroad accident caused you to suffer injuries that negatively impact your working capacity, you may be awarded compensation for the income you would have earned if the train accident did not occur.
Some of the non-economic damages that you may recover include:
- Pain and suffering. You may be entitled to compensation for the physical pain that your injuries have caused. Various factors, such as how the pain affects your quality of life and how long you are likely to experience the pain, are taken into consideration in the calculation of this award.
- Loss of consortium. If you lost a spouse in a train accident, you may be awarded compensation, through a wrongful death claim, for the loss of services, assistance, aid, and companionship that the deceased provided.
Our Long Island Accident Attorneys Can Represent Injured Railroad Workers
If you are a railroad worker who was injured in a railroad accident while on the job, you may be able to receive compensation under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA). However, to have a successful FELA case, you’ll need to prove that the accident you were injured in was caused by the railroad company, another maintenance worker, or an outside entity.
Such a task might be difficult to complete without a skilled attorney, but that’s why Morelli Law is here. A FELA lawyer from our firm will be able to investigate your case and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that another party was responsible for your railroad accident. Once they’ve done so, the law will allow you to collect payment for any losses you’ve been burdened with.
Call Morelli Law Firm for Help
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident involving Long Island’s railway system, do not hesitate to contact a railroad accident lawyer for legal representation. The settlement they win for you could make your recovery a lot easier and much more affordable.
Contact Morelli Law Firm to get the legal advice and advocacy you need to recover losses. Our Long Island railroad accident attorneys are terrific communicators and will keep you in the loop throughout the entirety of your claim. Fill out a contact form on our website to schedule your free case evaluation.