Illinois-Based Train Company Receives Twelve Wrongful Death Suits After Canadian Derailment | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

The terrible and tragic train crash that occurred in Quebec has resulted in twelve wrongful death lawsuits, ABC News reports. The crash, which happened in the Canadian town of Lac-Megantic, claimed 47 lives total, destroyed thirty buildings and resulted in the entire town’s being evacuated.

The accident has been blamed on the engineer of the derailed train, whom the CEO claims had not properly tended to the brakes on the locomotive. The CEO has also been named in the wrongful death lawsuits, which are seeking claims of at least one million dollars for each death. Although the crash took place in Canada, the company, Rail World Inc., is based in Cook County, Illinois, in the town of Rosemont just outside of Chicago.

The awful train wreck occurred in the Canadian town of Lac-Megantic, in the province of Quebec, Canada, pictured here:


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Tragedies like this train wreck are often preventable, which makes them all the more terrible. Further investigation will surely reveal just what went wrong with this crash—was it the engineer’s fault? was it a problem with the train’s equipment?—but for now, our deepest sympathies are extended to the loved ones of the victims in this crash. 

If you’ve suffered the loss of a loved one due to the negligence or irresponsible behavior of another person, we know how difficult and painful the process is, particularly when the loss is sudden and violent like this train wreck. While no amount of money can ever fill the void left by a loved one’s absence, those who have suffered such tragedies should consider speaking to a personal injury attorney and filing a wrongful death lawsuits. The attorneys at our Virginia-based personal injury law firm have years of experience handling wrongful death cases; we know what the loss does to individuals and families, and we know how to fight to bring justice to those who should have acted more responsibly.

You can also follow this link to read about a wrongful death case we argued involving a railroad worker who was diagnosed with lung cancer due to asbestos on the job, in which we secured an $8.6 million settlement for the wife he left behind.