If you are injured in an accident, consider seeking the aid of an experienced MTA lawyer

Is Negligence to Blame For The Recent LIRR Accident?

In early January 2017, a Long Island Railroad (LIRR) train crashed at the Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn. The train was found to have been going 10 miles per hour, faster than a train approaching its station should be traveling, when it collided with a bumping block and crashed into a small room. A portion of the track pierced through the floor of the train car. More than 400 passengers were on the train when the crash occurred. Approximately 100 of the passengers were treated for injuries following the collision, the most severe of which was a leg injury.

After investigating the collision, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that the train’s engineer had no memory of the crash. The investigators suspected that he suffered from sleep apnea and sought testing for him. When an individual is injured on public transportation, he or she may seek compensation for his or her damages through a public transportation accident claim.

What is a Train Derailment?

A derailment occurs when a train comes off its track. The LIRR accident discussed above is an example of a derailment. In 2015, 55 train accidents were reported in New York. The data provided does not state the percentage of these that involved derailments.

Is There Anything a Train Passenger Can Do to Protect Themselves from Injury?

Passengers in a train’s middle cars are least likely to be injured in the event of a derailment or another type of accident. When you ride the train, choose a seat away from the window and remain seated at all times while the train is in motion. If there is overhead storage space on your train car, do not sit directly beneath this space. In a crash, objects can fall from this space and hit passengers sitting beneath.

If you are injured in a train accident, seek medical attention for your injury as soon as possible. After you receive appropriate medical care, consider seeking compensation for your damages through a personal injury claim. The LIRR and subway systems are operated by the public authorities and as such, claims against them are subject to a shortened statute of limitations. You must file your Notice of Claim against a public authority as soon as 90 days of your injury in order to recover compensation for your damages.

Work with an Experienced New York Train Accident Lawyer

If you use one or more public transportation systems in your daily commute, you are at risk of suffering an injury in the event of a derailment or another type of accident. If you are injured in an accident, consider seeking compensation for your damages with the aid of an experienced MTA lawyer. Call The Law Office of Jeffrey K. Kestenbaum today at 718-237-5586 to set up your initial consultation in our office, during which we can answer your questions and help you determine the most effective way to proceed with your personal injury claim.