Victims of train accidents are left traumatized, injured, and often confused about where to turn for help. In the worst cases, families are left struggling to figure out how to go on after their loved one has been killed in such an event. The Houston train accident lawyers from Williams Hart & Boundas are ready to help injured victims or surviving family members. Once you make that initial connection with us, we take care of everything else, and you can focus on healing.
If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a train accident, connect with our knowledgeable, attentive train accident lawyers to schedule your free consultation. You may be entitled to substantial compensation that can recover your losses, get you justice, and preserve your continuing financial stability. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with our qualified Houston train accident lawyers today.
How the Train Accident Lawyers at Williams Hart & Boundas Can Help
The Williams Hart & Boundas law firm has decades of experience representing accident victims. Train accident cases are some of the most devastating, often involving mass injuries and casualties. You can trust our legal team to handle your situation with great compassion. We are committed to seeing and attending to the very individual way the accident has affected you and your loved ones.
Accident victims typically face exorbitant medical bills and income loss as they take time off to heal. Sometimes, victims are hurt so badly that they can never return to work, living with chronic pain or disabling conditions permanently. Train accident victims also experience significant emotional and psychological trauma. A National Library of Medicine (NLM) study reports that train accident victims experience feelings of vulnerability and “existential threat” long after the event itself.
Train accident cases are handled under personal injury law. However, not every personal injury lawyer has the knowledge, resources, and experience to provide superior legal representation. The legal team at Williams Hart & Boundas has an extensive history of successful case outcomes and overwhelmingly positive responses from our previous clients.
Legal Representation With Less Worry About the Costs
Sometimes, those affected by a train accident try to navigate the heavy physical, emotional, and financial consequences on their own. When they think they cannot afford the costs that come with securing representation from experienced train accident lawyers, they may not even try to get compensation for their damages. As a result, they struggle to afford medical care and restore lost income, becoming weighed down by financial and emotional stress. They could even go without the care they need to achieve full physical recovery.
Train accident victims can absolutely afford to connect with the team at the law firm of Williams Hart & Boundas. We offer a free consultation and will review your case at no cost and with no obligation. Once our train accident lawyers take your case, you will not have to pay until we secure a settlement for you.
When you partner with an experienced personal injury attorney from our law firm, you can trust that you are getting top-notch legal representation from a dedicated and skilled advocate. We will investigate the accident thoroughly, identifying the liable parties and building evidence to hold them accountable.
Types of Train Accidents
TheFederal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Safety Analysis establishes five main categories for train crashes. The FRA acknowledges that a train crash usually results from a sequence of events, conditions, and circumstances that can contribute to the event. Uncovering exactly what caused a train accident and who is at fault requires an extensive investigation by a well-trained personal injury attorney.
The five FRA categories of train accidents are:
- Track, Roadbed, and Structure
- Signal and Communication
- Train Operation – Human Factor
- Mechanical and Electrical Failures
- Miscellaneous Causes
The FRA shows that for a recent three-year period, Texas had the second-highest number of train accidents at 388. Georgia saw the most, with 425, and Connecticut the fewest, with 3.
The most frequent types of accidents and their common causes include:
Train Derailments
Derailments can occur when on-track equipment, such as a train car or cars, leaves the track unprompted by an obvious cause, such as a collision or explosion. Train derailments can result from faulty railroad tracks or from train operator error. FRA data reports that of Texas’ 388 train accidents, derailments accounted for 288.
Train Collisions
Miscommunication can lead to train collisions. When trains occupy the same track but come from different directions, a train crash can be unexpected and essentially impossible to avoid. Equipment malfunctions can also cause collisions and derailments. Tracks are equipped with switches that can disconnect and reconnect portions of the train tracks. If these switches do not work, trains can hit each other head on, or derail.
Motor Vehicle Crash
Sometimes, motor vehicle drivers attempt to cross train tracks despite warnings of oncoming trains at a railroad crossing. In other cases, the warning signals may not work, leading a driver to think it is safe to cross the tracks. These accidents are often called “highway-rail grade crossing accidents” or “railroad crossing accidents” since they occur where train tracks intersect with a highway or road.
Railroad Crossing Accident Statistics for Texas
The Texas Department of Insurance (DOI)reports that a person or vehicle is hit by a train about every three hours in the United States. Victims include an estimated 2,000 injured or killed at railroad crossings every year. Sadly, Texas tops the list of all states for the number of highway-rail collisions. For a recent year, Texas saw 241 such events, leading to 80 injuries and 31 fatalities.
Train Accident Statistics Nationwide
The National Safety Council (NSC) shows that in a recent year of data collection, there were 954 railroad deaths in the United States, a number representing an 11% increase from the prior year and the highest number in almost two decades. Additional statistics show 6,252 non-fatal injuries, a 6% increase from the year prior. Fatalities from railroad crossing accidents also saw an increase of 16% nationwide. Of the 954 train crash deaths, 29% happened at railroad crossings.
No matter what type of train crash you or your loved one has experienced, the consequences are likely to be extensive and potentially devastating. You will need substantial compensation to cover your damages, and a personal injury attorney can help you get them. Victims who seek compensation without help from a knowledgeable legal team often find themselves frustrated, overwhelmed, and settling for far less than they deserve. Williams Hart & Boundas is here to work toward a much better and more just outcome.
Railroad Accident Liability
Train accidents are typically more complex than motor-vehicle accidents between or among private individuals, making it essential to have an attorney look into every corner of the case to determine those liable parties. Our law firm has the resources and connections to carry this exhaustive investigation out successfully.
Determining the correct party to face liability for a railroad accident varies according to the category of the train involved and the reason for the accident. Buses, taxis, trains, and shuttles fall into the “common carriers” category. The Texas Administrative Code describes common carriers as those offering a method of transportation for people and property from one place to another for compensation. Passenger trains, whether private or public, are common carriers.
Common carriers owe passengers a duty of care–a legal obligation–to provide safe travel on their equipment. If their failure leads to an accident, the common carrier may bear legal and financial responsibility for the resulting injuries and damages. For example, suppose the carrier company did not properly train or vet the train operator. In that case, the operator’s human error could be the fault of the common carrier. If the train company did not keep their trains safely maintained, they could be at fault for an accident by mechanical failure. Common carrier companies will likely have powerful representation defending them. Our train accident attorneys are equipped to challenge their defenses and demand accountability.
When Railroad Employees Are Hurt
Passengers are not the only potential victims of a train accident. Railroad workers also face the risk of on-the-job accidents. The Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) offers railroad employees protections. FELA “governs the right of railroad employees injured, sickened or killed in the course of their employment through an employer’s negligence to sue the employer for damages.”
When unsafe working conditions or practices under the employers’ control lead to accidents, railroad workers should connect with the knowledgeable Houston train accident lawyers from Williams Hart & Boundas. Again, the employer’s representative will fight to keep their payouts at a minimum, not giving the injured employee just compensation.
Our law firm is here to help passengers or railroad employees hurt in a train accident. With a comprehensive understanding of Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and FELA regulations, as well as Texas personal injury law, we are well-prepared to provide insightful, effective representation.
Train Accident Injuries
It is not unusual for train accidents to produce catastrophic injuries, generating astronomical medical expenses or fatalities. Catastrophic injuries are those that change victims’ lives, dividing them into “before the injury” and “after the injury” time periods. These injuries are permanent and typically disabling–sometimes cognitively, sometimes physically, and often both.
Examples of catastrophic injuries include:
- Amputations
- Burns over a significant portion of the body
- Crushed bones
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) have the potential to leave victims unable to breathe or swallow independently, communicate, learn, remember, make sound judgments, or process information. Sometimes, areas of the brain affecting personality sustain damage, and the victims seem to become another person. They may behave erratically or have emotional outbursts.
Spinal cord injuries can render victims paralyzed, either partially or fully. These serious injuries can make it impossible for victims to work, care for themselves independently, or move through life as they did prior to the accident.
Personal injury cases are a way for victims to get justice and recover a portion or all of their losses. Our skilled attorney will handle all negotiations with insurance companies and other representatives for the at-fault party, keeping your best interests at the forefront of every conversation.
Wrongful Death
Personal injury claims also cover fatalities. When train accidents lead to fatalities, the surviving families may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim under Texas law. Like personal injury claims, those for wrongful death seek recovery of related medical expenses and income loss. They also include death expenses and loss of relationship and affection.
Unfortunately, insurance companies do not prioritize victims’ needs and rights. Their top concern is protecting their assets. With our experienced legal team representing you, insurance companies will realize they cannot get away with putting themselves first. The compassionate yet aggressive Houston train accident lawyers on our team will fight tirelessly to hold insurance companies accountable for paying what they owe.
Contact the Award–Winning Houston Train Accident Lawyers at Williams Hart & Boundas and Schedule a Free Consultation Today
The damage incurred by a train accident is hard to overstate. Lives are disrupted, often permanently, by injuries and emotional distress. Families have to face unexpected, unwanted, and undeserved changes, such as adjusting to a loved one’s disability or losing that loved one entirely. The strain reaches into all aspects of life and is overwhelming.
The Houston train accident attorneys at Williams Hart & Boundas can help. When it comes to representing victims, our attorneys are fierce and ready to fight boldly with the at-fault party’s representatives. Yet, we approach the client relationship differently. Whether you are the injury victim or are grieving the loss of your loved one, you can count on us to listen with compassion and empathy. We treat you and your family with dignity.
Our train accident lawyers will respond to your calls, answer your questions, and address your concerns. We believe a strong client relationship is part of a successful case outcome. Do not wait any longer to call or send a message to schedule your free case evaluation. The sooner we get started, the sooner you can see results. We look forward to working with you.
Houston train accident lawyers
If you were injured in a train or railroad accident, call our Houston train accident lawyers. Our personal injury attorneys have the experience, skills, and resources needed to preserve your legal rights after you are involved in a train accident. Contact the legal team at Williams Hart & Boundas today.