Improperly Maintained Tracks

Every year, over 900 people are killed and thousands are injured in accidents involving train tracks or railroad crossings. When we hear about these accidents, we tend to assume that the pedestrian or driver who was injured was behaving in a reckless way. Why else, people ask, would they have been in a collision with a train?

While accidents certainly can be caused by reckless drivers, the fact is that negligent railroad companies are also at fault in many train collisions. Poorly maintained or constructed equipment, from the train cars, to their wheels, to the tracks they ride on, pose a serious risk to passengers and anyone living near a train track.

Poorly maintained tracks can result in large scale, even deadly accidents. Damaged train tracks can cause a conductor to lose control of the train or even cause a total derailment.

Determining Responsibility for Your Injuries

It can be difficult to determine who is to blame for a train accident. Generally, train companies are held responsible for building and maintaining tracks. If problems with train tracks were caused deliberately, either by placing items on the tracks or interfering with them in any other way, the perpetrator can be charged with a third degree felony and is considered responsible for any injuries caused.

Seeking Justice

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by faulty train tracks, you may have grounds for a personal injury suit. It is very important to act quickly, as there is a statute of limitations on filing a lawsuit. Any delay could also allow vital evidence to be damaged or lost.

For advice about your legal options, contact the offices of Jacksonville railroad injury lawyer Don Guthrie at 904-296-1088.