The Best Scranton Train Accident Lawyers
Train accidents are far more common than you might believe. Typically, train crashes occur when vehicles stall on railroad tracks, operators are distracted, equipment malfunction, or caused due to confusing signals at road crossings. When a track accident happens, the financial and emotional impact on a victim and their family can be devastating. Fortunately, the law does offer some recourse for injured victims, so the at-fault parties can pay the cost of their negligence. A Scranton train accident attorney at our top-ranked personal injury law firm specializes in recovering compensation for our clients who are injury victims caused by negligence of a train or railroad operator. Our legal team provides immediate intervention to preserve all evidence that is important to the most successful case outcome.
Like buses, trains provide a convenient, cost effective way for commuters to travel long distances. With almost forty passenger carriers, Pennsylvania’s railroad system transports millions of passengers and tons of cargo every year. Unlike buses, however, trains travel at high speeds. When a train strikes another vehicle, the impact is often so great that the driver and passengers of the vehicle suffer debilitating permanent injuries. Train passengers are vulnerable because their bodies continue to move inside the train car at the same high speed, unrestrained by seat belts, even after the train has crashed. People can fly forward through the windshield, striking other objects within the train car, suffering potentially fatal impact injuries.
Common Causes of Railroad Accidents
Although much has been done in the recent years to improve the safety of railroads and commuter trains, frequent causes of railroad accidents still include:
- Defective traffic lights or signs
- Negligent, tired or inexperienced train conductors
- Unsafe road or railway conditions
- Train mechanism defects
What Should You Do If Involved in a Train Accident?
After the initial shock of being in a train crash, you will probably wonder what you should do next. Obviously, seeking medical attention for any injuries is your first priority. Afterwards, you should follow certain steps to make sure you can obtain the maximum recovery for injuries. First, keep your statements to any investigators to a bare minimum without first consulting with a train accident attorney. Next, you should preserve any evidence helpful to your potential injury claim. Keep in mind that investigating authorities from the train company will have their own interest. Don’t count on local or federal investigators to do a thorough job investigating the causes of the train accident. Take down some notes as soon as possible after the accident, such as any braking before the crash, location of impact, witnesses, weather, and emergency personnel who responded to the accident. If your vehicle was involved in the crash, notify you insurance company immediately, but don’t forget that an insurance representative’s priority is to protect their best interest. Finally, call an experienced Scranton train accident injury lawyer at our law firm. Our attorneys have a clear understanding on train accident claims and the complex laws that surround these type of injury claims.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for Compensation?
As with all mass transportation accidents in Lackawanna County, every accident has its own set of unique circumstances and evidence. It may be possible there was just a single cause of the train accident, or multiple linking causes. Our train accident lawyers will need to closely examine the incident in order to determine responsible parties. Our law firm might even need the assistance of experts, such as an accident reconstruction expert or engineers. There are a variety of parties that could be held responsible for the train accident that caused your injuries. These include the public agency or company that is responsible for daily operations of the train, manufacturer of the train or signal equipment, or the driver of the vehicle that caused the crash.
Financial Compensation in Your Train Accident Case
If you have been injured in a train accident, you could be entitled to damages. No matter what caused your train accident, you deserve the maximum compensation for your injuries. Due to the fact that every accident and injuries are unique, the type of available damages will vary. Our Scranton train accident attorneys may be able to help you recover damages for medical expenses, home care cost, lost wages, earning capacity, pain and suffering, and property damages. If the unfortunate circumstance of the death of a family member, we can help you recover wrongful death damages.
Contact our office today to see if we can help you recover money to pay for your damages. Trains and railroads are often regulated by public entities, giving you a shorter time period within which to file your claim.
Call a Scranton Train Accident Attorney
Time is of the essence! Critical evidence could be lost if too much time passes after the train accident. You need to consult with an experienced personal injury law firm as quickly as possible after the accident. Our train accident lawyers will aggressively work to obtain all the compensation you are entitled for your injuries. Our attorneys will identify all parties responsible for the accident, preserve critical evidence, take witness statements, hire experts to prove your case, and negotiate with insurance companies, train companies, and relevant government agencies in order to obtain a fair settlement offer. If necessary, our injury lawyers will fight the case if court when a settlement is not possible.
Let a Scranton train accident attorney at OHDP help you and your family put your lives back on track. We can help you obtain payments for your medical bills, and pain and suffering compensation. Our top-rated personal injury attorneys will take all the time necessary to discuss the specific details of the accident and injuries in order to determine available options to help you get what you are entitled. We can focus on obtaining maximum compensation for your injuries, allowing you to recover as fully as possible from the physical and emotional trauma you endured in the train accident. We are paid only if we successfully resolve your case. No recovery, no fee!
Do you have a case you’d like us to take a look at? Click here for a free case evaluation or call (570) 348-3711 to reach out to us.