Bronx Metro-North Train Crash Attorneys
The recent Bronx Metro-North train accident, which took the lives of four people and injured many others, highlights two important issues – operator negligence and the need for fail-safe mechanisms that can help prevent these types of tragedies. The Dec. 1 train crash occurred on the Metro-North Hudson line and derailed rail cars dangerously close to the Hudson River.
Investigators have determined the official cause of the accident to be human error, which accounts for 40 percent of all train accidents worldwide, according to an article posted on Forbes.com. Preliminary reports indicate that the train was speeding at 82 mph as it approached a sharp curve in the track. The train engineer told investigators that he applied the brakes, but was unsuccessful in slowing it down before it took the Spuyten Duyvil curve, where it eventually derailed.
Focus of the Investigation
According to a CNN report, investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have eliminated mechanical problems as the cause of the derailment. They have stated that the engineer operating the train was inattentive at the time. Eleven minutes before the derailment, the engineer failed to dim the train’s headlights as required when it passed another train, investigators said. The engineer, William Rockefeller Jr., admitted to officials that he was having a “lapse in attention” as the train neared the bend. His attorney has stated that the train’s motion might have caused Rockefeller to nod off, a case of what the lawyer called “highway hypnosis.”
The Need for Safety Systems
The Metro-North train crash is also drawing attention to the need for “positive train control” or PTC technology, which NTSB officials have been pushing for years. However, they are not present in a majority of trains in the United States because of the high costs involved. PTC technology combines GPS, trackside devices, wireless radio and software to monitor a train’s position and speed. This technology has the ability to stop a train if a collision or derailment is imminent. PTC is designed to prevent train-to-train collisions and catastrophic derailments like the Metro-North crash.
Congress mandated the installation of this technology on all passenger trains and trains carrying toxic chemicals in 2008 after the deadly Los Angeles Metrolink crash, which killed 25 people and injured many more. However, the technology is not expected to be implemented until the December 2015 deadline.
What to Do after a Train Accident
It is possible that immediately after a train accident that has injured you or a loved one, you are unsure of what steps to take. If you have been injured, it is critical that you obtain immediate medical attention and follow the course of treatment recommended by your doctor. This will not only create a record of your injuries and treatment, but it will also ensure that you are on the road to recovery. If you are able to do so, take photographs of the accident scene as well as your injuries. Obtain a copy of the official accident report and investigative report, when it is complete and available. It would also be in your best interest to contact an experienced New York City train accident lawyer who has significant experience representing accident victims and helping them secure fair compensation for their losses.
Contacting an Experienced NYC Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured, or if you have lost a loved one in a train accident due to someone else’s negligence, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. With more than 42 years of experience, we work tirelessly to help obtain the best possible compensation for injured victims and for families of deceased victims. In one of our train accident cases, our client was awarded a $3,222,000 verdict.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: http://www.WORK4YOULAW.com
