The San Jose Mercury News reports that a BART train derailed in Concord on Sunday morning, March 13. Three train passengers suffered minor injuries.
According to the article, a 10-car BART train was headed for the San Francisco International Airport but derailed as it was leaving the Concord BART station at approximately 9:20 a.m. The wheels of the eighth car came off the train tracks completely and the ninth car derailed partially. BART police officers, assisted by the Contra Costa Fire Department, safely evacuated all 65 passengers aboard the train. Three BART train passengers were taken to a local hospital after they reported minor back injuries. The non-injured passengers were taken by bus to other BART train stations.
BART officials report that investigators of the northern California train accident followed standard procedure during their initial investigation of the BART accident. The train’s operator was interviewed and a drug test was administered. The operator was also put on paid administrative leave while the accident is investigated. Train passengers were also offered counseling.
The cause of the BART train accident is still under investigation. Train derailment accidents typically occur due to defects in the train, its wheels, and/or the train tracks; a collision with obstacles on the train tracks; tracks that are misaligned or broken; and excessive speeding. However, according to The Los Angeles Times, the BART train was traveling at a low speed. Train derailments can also occur after a collision with another train.
At Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, our highly skilled California train crash lawyers have extensive experience successfully litigating train accident and other public transportation accident cases. To learn how we can help you receive compensation for your train accident injuries and related losses, call 1-877-800-1700 today.
A North Carolina Amtrak train headed to Charlotte collided with a dump truck on Monday, August 16, according to NewsObserver.com. No passengers were injured and the driver of the truck escaped injury when the trailer detached upon impact, allowing him to drive to safety. The train sustained considerable damage and the section of railroad where the crash occurred has been shut down for the remainder of the day.
The Amtrak train accident is still being investigated since it is unclear whether or not the truck driver went through the barricades or if the crossing arms failed to deploy. The 33 passengers were redirected to a bus that would take them the rest of the way to Charlotte.
Although no one was injured in this accident, most train accidents end much more tragically, often with many people sustaining serious injury or, in the worst cases, death. Between 2006 and 2009, there were 367 train accidents in the United States. Although compared to car accidents, the number of accidents is low, because multiple passengers usually are onboard these trains, a single accident can cause injury or death to many people at once. Those who have been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of others have the right to seek compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering and other damages. Families of those killed in a train accident also are entitled to compensation for their loss if someone else is at fault.
The skilled and aggressive train accident injury attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have extensive experience in train accident and personal injury litigation. With the resources necessary to handle the most complex cases and a reputation as one of the top plaintiffs’ law firms in the country, Panish Shea & Boyle LLP has what it takes to hold negligent parties accountable for their actions. Call us at (877) 800-1700 to learn more about how we can help.
