Two Years After Massive Metro-North Train Accident, Personal Injury Plaintiffs Still Filing Lawsuits
Although it has been two years since the infamous Metro-North train accident and derailment injured 70 passengers, plaintiffs are still filing personal injury lawsuits against the railroad company for long-lasting injuries and disabilities.
As of April 2015, there are 27 personal injury lawsuits involving 32 plaintiffs, which have been filed against the Metro-North railroad in federal court. Recently, 5 more personal injury lawsuits have been filed, bringing the total number of civil cases from the train accident up to 32.
All of the personal injury cases allege that the railroad was poorly maintained, and Metro-North’s negligence led to long-lasting personal injury, emotional damage, and disability for several of the passengers.
The Metro-North train accident occurred on May 17th, 2013, when a Metro-North commuter train headed to Bridgeport crashed into another train headed the opposite direction. Five passengers in the first train car were killed in the train accident, and over 70 passengers suffered personal injury. The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the causes, although the current suggestion is a cracked joint bar caused the train to derail.
Although a handful of the Metro-North train accident lawsuits have been settled, most are still pending in court because “many of [the personal injuries] are permanent in nature.” One such personal injury case was filed by plaintiffs Elizabeth and Peter Sorenson. Elizabeth was on the train during the crash and sustained fractured to her legs, arms, and pelvis, and had to undergo multiple surgeries to correct the bone problems. She also suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Other personal injury cases from the train accident allege spinal cord injuries, which can sometimes take years to fully manifest, and hand contusions, which can make regular desk work such as typing or writing difficult for years.
Train Accidents and Personal Injury Cases in South Carolina
Although train accidents can often involve reckless drivers who try to blast through a train crossing before the train itself arrives, too many such accidents can be caused by negligence on the part of the railroad company or state government.
A train accident can be caused by several factors:
- Crossings that are obstructed by vegetation or other objects
- Limited visibility on the part of drivers or train operators
- The negligent actions of train operators, such as approaching crossings without their lights on and horn sounding
- Unsafe train conditions, including machinery or train parts sticking out, over-sized loads, and crossings that rely only on signs or lights and do not have working safety arms.
If you have been involved in a train accident in South Carolina that was caused by a lack of safety signals, improperly maintained rails, or negligence on the part of the train conductor, you may have a personal injury case.
The Strom Law Firm Protects Train Accident Victims
If you or a loved one suffered serious personal injury because of a train accident, or a loved one was killed because of a railroad’s or train company’s negligence, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover lost wages and medical expenses. The South Carolina train accident personal injury attorneys at the Strom Law Firm offer a free case evaluation to discuss the incident and see how we can help. Contact us today. 803.252.4800
