Focus on Deadly Train Accidents Highlights Crossing Dangers

Rick is a Virginia injury attorney who handles car accidents, medical malpractice, FELA, wrongful death, etc.

8/15/2009
Richard N. Shapiro
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Focus on Deadly Train Accidents Highlights Crossing Dangers

Yesterday, the Associated Press shined its investigative spotlight on the large number of deaths caused each year by heavy rail accidents. The article cites Federal Railroad Administration data showing that 721 people were killed in 2008 after they were struck by a freight or passenger train. Of these fatalities, 450 were pedestrians crossing tracks.

A closer look at the FRA data reveals that more than 8,400 heavy rail accidents resulted in some injury last year. By cause, 36 percent of the reported accidents resulted from human factors, 35 percent resulted from track defects and 13 percent resulted from equipment defects. One heavy rail fatality occurred in Virginia. These statistics point to large areas where rail operators could improve safety and procedures.
My colleagues and I have decades of experience representing both rail workers and members of the public injured in train track crossing accidents. I am pleased to note FRA received new authority last year to enforce safety regulation on railroads and rail operators. I am less pleased to note that the new laws took effect too late to save the lives of hundreds of Americans.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border. The firm handles car, truck, railroad, medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton’s lawyers are licensed in VA, NC, SC, WV, DC and KY.

EJL

Category: Railroad Injury/FELA

Labels: crossing engineers fatality Federal Railroad Administration FELA attorney locomotive pedestrian accident railroad crossing injury railroad safety Shapiro train tracks Virginia railroad lawyer wrongful death at railroad

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Our Virginia personal injury lawyers have been selected for many accolades.

Two of the VA injury attorneys with our firm, James Lewis and Rick Shapiro, have been named among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Lewis and Shapiro have also selected for inclusion in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. Leiws and Shappiro, along with attorney John C. have been recognized as Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010.

Ours was the first personal injury firm in Virginia invited to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Rick Shapiro was named as one of the Top 100 Injury Lawyers in Virginia by the National Trial Lawyers Association.

In October, 2000 our law firm and co-counsel obtained what was then the largest verdict in Virginia's history for an injured person. Our brain-damaged client received an initial award of $46 million that increased to $60 million with interest compounded while the defendant pursued a failed appeal, and was confidentially settled during the appeal.

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Focus on Deadly Train Accidents Highlights Crossing Dangers

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