Posted on Friday, June 15th, 2018 at 12:34 am
As reported by SFGate last week, three train accidents in the Bay Area within a six-hour period resulted in the death of one person and the injury of another person. In the first of three train accidents, a person was killed in Richmond at 4:00 a.m. when an Amtrak train struck him. Around 6:30 a.m. in Emeryville, another Amtrak train struck someone near the 5800 block of Horton Street. The person in the second accident is expected to survive the injuries.
Around 8:45 a.m. that same morning a BMW was struck by a Caltrain. The car was being towed and did not clear the track before the train crossed. The collision occurred at the Broadway Avenue grade crossing. No one was injured in the collision.
Train Accidents in California
According to data from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), The number of fatalities from train accidents increased each year from 2013 through 2016. Injuries also increased each year from 2014 through 2016. The number of people killed in train accident in 2016 totaled 152. Those injured in train accidents that year totaled 697. Nationwide that year, 774 people lost their lives, and 8,434 people were injured in train accidents.
If you are injured in a train accident, you might be entitled to recover compensation from the liable parties. However, identifying the correct parties who are liable for damages could be difficult. In addition to involving a very complex machine and complicated factors, you also must deal with federal and state government agencies that are investigating the accident. To help navigate the process and ensure your best interests are protected, you should consult an experienced San Francisco accident attorney as soon as possible. Our attorneys handle personal injury suits and wrongful death suits.
Can You Prevent a Train Accident?
In some cases, you can avoid a train accident by following these safety tips:
- Always obey warnings and signals at railroad crossings. Do not walk along or on railroad tracks. This is extremely dangerous.
- Only cross railroad tracks at designated crossings.
- Trains cannot stop quickly. Never attempt to go around the signal arms or try to “beat” a train across the tracks.
- Do not stop on the train tracks in your vehicle. If you cannot cross the tracks, wait until traffic moves to allow you to cross without stopping on the tracks.
- You should not attempt to jump onto a moving train.
For more safety tips, visit the website for the Federal Railroad Administration.
San Francisco Personal Injury Attorneys
If you are injured in an accident that was not your fault, we want to help. You may be entitled to receive money for your injuries and losses. For a free legal consultation with a San Francisco personal injury attorney, call The Tiemann Law Firm at (800) 712-2000 or visit our website. It does not cost you anything to tell us your story and get the information you need to protect your legal rights.
Source: “Bay Area train accidents leave 1 dead, 1 injured.” SFGate. Jenna Lyons. January 10, 2018.
