New York media has been abuzz with the news of a terrible tragedy — the largest local train accident in recent history — which unfolded early in the month, where two wagons of a New York commuter train were pierced by an electrified rail system in a major collision with a vehicle at a railroad crossing.
In the Tarrytown area, a NY Metro North train moved the stopped car hundreds of yards as rail broke and carved into train cars.
Investigators have already identified six fatalities in the accident, including the driver of the car, and do not know why the vehicle was stopped on the rover tracks. Despite the heroics of a train operator who probably saved lives, the news is still an awful reminder of the worst outcomes possible in commuter train systems, and New York government offices and other agencies have started to investigate the factors around the crash and why it happened.
Other New York area collisions are also being investigated to try to figure out how these kinds of grievous accidents can happen and whether they can be more securely prevented. Even the governor’s office is getting involved in looking at the overall condition of New York trains and the risks that passengers, conductors and others face.
Dealing with Train Accidents
Not all train accidents are as high-profile as the one near Valhalla/Tarrytown, but all of them represent tragic scenarios that should be avoided. Good safety procedures cut down on the risks that affect commuters and other passengers around the New York City area.
When people are hurt on a New York city train, personal injury attorneys work with those injured to present their best interests in local courts. By looking at all of the details surrounding the case, and applying federal, state and local law as well as case precedent, qualified legal professionals can get injury victims the money they need to cover things like medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
When these kinds of accidents occur unexpectedly, New York City train accident attorneys play vital roles in the process of getting justice for victims. Even when an accident is publicly recognized as a disaster, with lives lost or hanging in the balance, there’s still a legal process for getting compensation for families, and without qualified, dedicated counsel, bringing a personal injury case can be infinitely more difficult.
If you or someone in your family was injured in a train accident or any other type of accident involving personal injuries, call the attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff. We have experience helping residents get their voices heard in a court of law so they can obtain what they deserve if their accident was caused by someone else’s negligence or inattention to public safety.
