Northern California Accident Attorney Blog

ALAMEDA COUNTY -- Over a dozen of people were injured in an Oakland Amtrak train collision on Wednesday, San Jose Mercury News reports. According to Amtrak train spokesman Cliff Cole, one of the Amtrak trains carrying eight passengers struck another train carrying approximately 137 passengers. The accident was reported around 10 p.m. and occurred at the intersection of Webster Street and Embarcadero. Passengers onboard the trains indicated that the impact of the collision caused them to be jolted from their seats and onto the floor. Following this terrible train accident, roughly 18 passengers sustained minor injuries, however, a Hayward woman reported that her daughter suffered a broken arm and was sent to hospital.

Cause of the October 12th Amtrak Train Crash

Based on the information provided by news reports, it is unclear what caused this collision to occur and whether or not it could have been prevented. Therefore, authorities investigating the accident will try to determine why this Amtrak train accident happened and who is ultimately responsible.

Train Accident Personal Injury Liability

Railroad transportation is generally considered safe, however, accidents do happen. When two trains are involved in a collision, serious injuries and/or death to any individuals involved can be the result. Therefore, while the investigation of the collision is ongoing, victims or family members of the victims would be well-advised to speak to a California train accident lawyer. A skilled and competent attorney who has handled personal injury claims in incidents such as this one, can advise the victims of their legal rights, help the victims in efforts to determine who is officially responsible for the crash, and decide the best course of action to recover the maximum compensation for medical care expenses, lost wages, disfigurement, pain and suffering, and other damages relating to this horrible train accident.

Continue reading "18 Injured in Oakland Amtrak Train Collision" »

STANISLAUS COUNTY -- The Turlock Journal reported that a big-rig hauling two trailers filled with tomatoes was struck by an Amtrack passenger train Monday afternoon. The collision took place at about 1:30 p.m. near the intersection of Geer Road and Santa Fe Avenue. According to CHP officer Eric Parsons, the big-rig was stopped at a stop sign just past the train tracks, however, due to the short distance between the tracks and the stop sign, the second trailer was still on the railroad tracks. Train engineer, Barbara Neu, 58, of San Leandro, sounded the horn and applied the emergency brakes, but the collision was unavoidable. The impact of the collision between the train and truck caused another vehicle to be struck, as one of the big-rig's trailer went in the southbound lane of Sante Fe Road. The vehicle was identified as a 2011 Toyota Camry and driven by Maria Enes, 46, of Hilmar.

Following this horrible collision Enes, Neu, and the big-rig driver, Rigoberto Jimenez, 31, of Delhi, were not injured after the incident. However, out of the 159 passengers and four crew members onboard the train, only 20 passengers had complaints of back and neck pain. Some of those injured passengers were transported to hospital via ambulance while others sought medical care on their own.

Cause of the September 19th Stanislaus Train Accident

Based on the information provided by news reports, it is unclear whether or not the driver could have possibly avoided this collision. Therefore, it is impossible to determine who is at fault for this incident. Police officials will continue to investigate the cause of the accident and determine who is officially responsible.

Train Accident Passenger Injury Liability

Accidents involving trains can result in catastrophic injures or death to anyone involved. While the investigation of the September 19th collision is ongoing, if it is determined by police that the driver of the truck is responsible for the accident, victims or family members of the victims would be well-advised to contact a skilled California train accident lawyer. A knowledgeable and experienced attorney who has handled incidents such as this one, can advise the victims of their legal rights, and best course of action to recover the maximum compensation for medical care expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related damages in this terrible train accident.

Continue reading "Several Injured in Amtrak Train vs. Tractor-Trailer Crash in Stanislaus" »

MODOC COUNTY - A 19-year-old Tulelake woman died Wednesday afternoon after her 1988 Mercury Sable was struck by a train, the Siskiyou Daily reported. The woman, Alma Vidrio, was driving westbound on County Road 104, east of County Road 111, when she stopped the vehicle on the railroad tracks with a northbound train approaching. The train had two engines and 35 cars attached to it. According to a CHP release, Vidrio "made no obvious attempts to move the Mercury or flee from the Mercury" before the train impacted the driver's side of the Mercury Sable. The impact caused fatal injuries; Vidrio was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. No one on board the train was hurt. The cause of the fatal Modoc County car accident remains under investigation.

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National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators announced on April 28 that the operator of a San Francisco light rail involved in a 2009 accident blacked out and lost consciousness right after disengaging the train's automatic braking system. According to a San Francisco Chronicle article, the light rail ended up crashing and injuring several passengers as a result of the automatic brake controls being switched off.

The NTSB determined that the San Francisco Municipal Railway Transit System partially caused the San Francisco train accident by failing to enforce a regulation against turning off the controls before trains got to the station platform.

The Muni train was going over 20 mph when it hit a train that was immobile in the West Portal station. Based on the accident report, the Muni driver manually moved the train to the platform. When he lost consciousness, the train collided into the back of the second train already stopped at the platform. As a consequence of the crash, the operators of both trains and 46 passengers were injured.

This accident has raised concern about how Muni drivers regularly do not seek authorization to disengage the braking control before arriving at the West Portal. Apparently, drivers have said doing this makes it easier to bring the train to the platform. However, since the accident, Muni drivers have been warned that not asking permission to cut out the automatic brakes could make them lose their jobs. According to a Muni spokesman, the amount of times that drivers have disabled the braking system has dropped from 2,000 times per month before the accident to approximately eight times per month since the accident.

City municipalities can be held legally responsible for train accidents caused either completely or partially by the failure to implement and manage safety regulations. San Francisco accident lawyers understand the physical, financial, and psychological challenges accident victims face and are dedicated to holding negligent parties liable.

Continue reading "San Francisco Light Rail Accident Investigation Raises Concern about Operators Disengaging Automatic Braking Systems" »

A woman has been seriously injured after a train accident in Fresno that occurred downtown near Diana and Divisadero. A KFSN article reports that the accident took place on the afternoon of April 17. Witnesses reportedly heard screaming and discovered the woman lying on the train tracks. The woman's foot was crushed by the train and she was transported to Community Regional Medical Center to receive treatment for her injuries. While an Amtrak train was delayed due to the accident, the train that struck the woman did not stop. Apparently, witnesses stated that it seemed as though the conductor of the train that hit the woman did not realize an accident occurred.

While the article did not mention whether the operator of the train who hit the woman was found, the claims that he did not stop could lead to serious consequences if the accident is determined to have been a hit-and-run.

Although additional details surrounding this train accident are likely to be found after further investigation, train operator negligence, equipment failure, inadequate tracks, or faulty railroad crossing signals could have been contributing factors. As some of the most common causes of train accidents, these causes can lead to serious injuries, fatalities, derailments, and collisions with other trains, vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians.

Due to the sheer size, weight, and speed in which trains travel, injuries to train occupants or those outside of the train can be devastating. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, there were 967 train accidents/incidents in 2010 in the United States.

The aftermath of a train accident can present many challenges for an injury victim and their family. Steep medical bills, lost wages from time away from work, and emotional trauma are only a few of many hurdles an individual may face after being injured in a train collision. Fresno train accident attorneys work diligently to ensure that train accident victims' rights are protected and that negligent parties are held accountable.

Continue reading "Woman Seriously Injured in Fresno Train Accident" »