1 Dead, 1 Seriously Injured In Missouri Train Accident
A mid-Missouri man died in a Monroe County train accident, according to a report on ABC News Website. The man was hit by a train when his car got stuck on the tracks. The incident reportedly occurred at a railway crossing in Madison. The news report states that the train struck the man’s car and then pushed it along the tracks for half a mile before being able to come to a stop. A passenger in the car was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, the report said.
Train accidents almost always result in major injuries or fatalities because of the size and weight of the train and the speed at which trains usually travel. A majority of the train accidents in the United States occur at railroad crossings. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, there are about 3,000 train accidents in the United States every year. These train accidents result in brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, paralysis and death. About one-third of these accidents result in death.
Why do these railroad accidents, injuries and deaths occur? The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports that almost 80 percent of all public railroad crossings don’t have lights or safety gates. In the case above, we don’t know if that was the case. He could have been trying to “beat the train” and make it across the tracks. But the possibility exists that there were no lights or safety gates at that railway, which would have stopped the car from approaching the crossing and prevented him from getting stuck on the tracks.
It takes an experienced personal injury attorney to investigate the specific details and facts of these complex train accidents to determine exactly how the accident occurred and who is to blame for the injuries and loss. Sometimes the drivers of the vehicles are to blame. But very often, the train driver or even the railroad is to blame for either not following proper procedures, or for being negligent and not maintaining the tracks properly. There are railway crossings where fatal train accidents occur all the time, but the railroad company refuses to install gates or lights.
If you or a loved one has suffered serious injury or loss as a result of a Missouri train accident, call our experienced personal injury attorneys to discuss your case. Consultations are always free.
