11/4/2011
Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton
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Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney Reports: Person or Vehicle Hit by Train at Crossing Every 3 Hours

An 88-year-old architect who failed to yield at a the Tide tracks on Second Street in Norfolk, Virginia (VA), hit a light-rail train and then left the scene on August 11, 2001 has been identified by police as Sheldon Leavitt. When asked by WTKR News Channel 3 why he didn't wait around, Leavitt said, "I didn't know what else to do."

That same week, another car accident occurred at the very same intersection, prompting railroad officials to install a more visible warning device. Fortunately, no serious injuries occurred in either wreck.

As a Virginia railroad accident attorney who often drives through Downtown Norfolk, I know that many light rail tracks occupy the same lanes as cars trucks, motorcycles and buses. Even with signals and traffic lights, drvers can easily get confused about when they can proceed and when they have to stop to allow trains to pass.

What can you do to avoid being involed a light train crash? First, never expect a train to be able to stop, even if you feel you have the right away. Operation Lifesaver, a rail safety education group, says that, "About every three hours a person or vehicle is hit by a train." 

Here are some safety tips:

• The train you see is closer and faster moving than you think. If you see a train approaching, wait for it to go by before you proceed across the tracks. 
• Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the locomotive engineer sees you, a train takes a long time to stop.
• Do not get trapped on the tracks and remember that the bodies of the rail cars are wider than the tracks.
• If your vehicle ever stalls on a track with a train coming, get out immediately and move quickly away from the tracks in the direction from which the train is coming. If you run in the same direction the train is traveling, when the train hits your car you could be injured by flying debris. Call your local law enforcement agency for assistance.
• When you need to cross train tracks, go to a designated crossing, look both ways, and cross the tracks quickly, without stopping.

Train operators like Hampton Roads Tansit in Norfolk also have a responsibility to maintain rail crossings to prevent accidents. There are several authoritative sources that apply to this type of maintenance.

My colleagues and I have represented both motorists and crew members in cases involving railroad accidents, and we have an excellent understanding of how to investigate injuries and wrongful deaths at rail crossings.

CT
 

Category: Railroad Injury/FELA

Labels: FELA attorney HRT light rail light rail accident Norfolk Virginia light rail railroad railroad attorney railroad crossing injury rails safety train accidents VA railroad attorney

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have handled hundreds of Federal Employers' Liability Act claims for railroad workers hurt or made ill while doing their rail jobs. We also have represented many people injured in train accidents. Please take a few moments to review our railroad injury case results. Our primary offices are in Virginia Beach and Hampton, VA, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008, and have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010. Fewer than 5 percent of lawyers are chosen for this professional honor.

In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Our firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill. Our attorneys have even been included in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009.

We would like to send you one of our free reports about railroad injury and FELA cases, including Dos & Don'ts When Injured at a Railroad: Your FELA Rights and What Railroad Claim Agents Agents Won't Tell You (But You Must Know).

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer a free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail so we can return your call.

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