In any other part of the country, train accidents are extremely rare events. However, in New Jersey, trains run to and from New York City all day, every day. Worse, these trains run on tracks and other infrastructure that is dangerously out-of-date. As a result, the chances of being involved in a serious train accident are astronomically higher in New Jersey than elsewhere.
This is why the personal injury attorneys at the New Jersey law office of Lavery, Selvaggi & Cohen strive to legally represent train accident victims both in and out of court to get the compensation they so desperately deserve.
Train Accidents in New Jersey
A train accident is one of the most traumatic things that can happen in the transportation world. Trains are very heavy, so even though they do not travel at high speeds, they still bring massive amounts of force into a collision. According to the safety organization Operation Lifesaver, the relative force of a train hitting a car is the same as the car hitting a soda can.
Not all train accidents are collisions with cars or serious derailments that kill dozens and hurt hundreds, though. While the Federal Railroad Administration's Office of Safety Analysis estimates there are more than 11,000 train accidents every year, many of those are employee accidents that do not hurt members of the public. Nevertheless, when a train accident does impact riders or bystanders, the injuries are often severe or fatal.
Train Accident Injuries and Victims
The people who are most often impacted by a train accident are either passengers in a car, pedestrians, or people who are riding the train when the accident occurs.
If you were in a car at the time of the train accident, you likely suffered severe and life-changing injuries or lost a loved one in the crash. These accidents can be the result of defective train crossing signs that allowed your vehicle onto the tracks while the train was approaching.
Pedestrians can also be involved in a train accident. Many people cross train tracks on their way to somewhere else and might be left unaware of the danger of oncoming trains. In many of these accidents, the pedestrian suffers fatal or permanently debilitating injuries.
Finally, the people on the train during a train accident can get hurt, as well. The jolt of an accident can cause people onboard the train to fall over or get hurt as luggage in overhead racks comes crashing down. If the jolt is especially severe, it can cause the train cars to derail, fish-tail to the side, and possibly even roll over. Even when there is no collision, train passengers can get hurt in a train accident if the train jerks to the side suddenly and cause you to lose your footing.
New Jersey Train Accident Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a train accident of any sort, you need legal representation. Call the New Jersey personal injury and train accident attorneys at the law office of Lavery, Selvaggi & Cohen at (908) 852-2600 or contact them online.