What Are the Three Most Common Types of Train Accidents?

In terms of the severity of injuries, victim losses, and other damages, train accidents are rarely trivial incidents. When so much is at stake, you need a railroad accident attorney who will make sure that you receive full and fair financial compensation following a Virginia railway accident.

What type of train accident occurs most often?

Not only are train accidents almost always devastating, but they are also extremely complex when it comes to determining fault. There are numerous parties to take into account and the laws in Virginia can make it challenging to file lawsuits against particular entities. While these problems will be almost impossible for an injured victim to sort out, an experienced railway accident attorney will be very familiar with them and will know what steps to take to defend your rights.

If you were seriously hurt in a train accident that was caused by another person’s negligence, the law allows you to seek financial compensation to cover your medical bills, lost income, and any ongoing care you might require. The professional Virginia railway accident lawyers at the law firm of Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp can help you pursue the recovery you deserve.

Common Kinds of Train Accidents

The three most common kinds of train accidents that probably merit contacting a railroad accident attorney are:

Train-to-car: This involves a train colliding with any passenger vehicle
Train-to-passengers: These accidents cause injuries to passengers on board the train
Train-to-train: These involve two separate trains colliding with one another

Train-to-Vehicle Accidents

Train-to-vehicle collisions occur the most often, usually at railway crossings. Sadly, when the driver of a passenger vehicle tries to beat the level-crossing barrier arm by speeding across the tracks, the results are typically severe or fatal. In these cases, the driver most likely has no legal recourse, because they are supposed to obey all traffic signals and driving laws, including those that apply to train crossings.

That being said, it is not uncommon for level-crossing signals to malfunction. Structures and numerous other objects can block the view of both the driver of the car and the train. Fatalities or injuries caused by a faulty or malfunctioning crossing signal could be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.

Train-to-Passenger Accidents

Train-to-passenger collisions refer to those that cause injuries to passengers riding on the train, like Amtrak train accidents. There are many different potential causes of these kinds of crashes and they almost always demand the investigative aid of a skilled railroad accident attorney.

Virginia is no stranger to passenger train crashes, such as the 2018 crash in Crozet, Virginia that took place when the driver of a sanitation truck maneuvered around the crossing arms and was hit by an oncoming Amtrak train. This accident exemplifies both a train-to-passenger and a train-to-vehicle accident.

Train-to-Train Accidents

Collisions involving more than one train tend to be the most catastrophic of all train accidents, with head-on crashes being a leading cause of fatalities, like the 2008 Metrolink crash in Chatsworth, CA that resulted in 24 deaths and 135 injuries, the worst train-to-train collision since the Big Bayou Canot rail accident in 1993. The crash happened when a train driver who was busy texting missed a red light and collided head-first with a freight train.

Do You Need an Experienced Railway Collision Lawyer?

If you or a family member were injured in any type of railroad accident, schedule a free case evaluation right away by calling the Virginia railroad injury attorneys of Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp at (833) 997-1774 or by completing the form on our website.