A train derailment can lead to significant injuries for those on board as well as for those around the derailment site. At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, our team is here to help if you need a Virginia train derailment accident attorney by your side. We have the resources necessary to handle every aspect of these claims. Regardless of whether or not you are an injured third party or an injured railroad worker, we want to fight to secure the compensation you are entitled to. Let us stand up to aggressive insurance carriers and railroad companies on your behalf.
Why Choose Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp for Your Case?
- At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, our team has secured more than $75 million in total jury verdicts and more than $100 million in combined settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients.
- We have more than seven decades of combined legal experience, and we practice only personal injury law.
- We take Virginia Beach train derailment cases on a contingency fee basis, which means clients will not have to pay any legal fees until we recover the compensation they need.
We are regularly able to help clients recover significant compensation after sustaining an injury caused by a railroad incident. This includes a $900,000 settlement for a railroad employee who suffered a career-ending back injury. We also recovered $564,000 through an insurance settlement for a train engineer who sustained a railroad crossing accident injury.
How Will an Attorney Help a Train Derailment Claim?
A skilled attorney can step in and handle every aspect of the train derailment case, regardless of whether or not you are a railroad worker or an injured third party. An attorney will have the resources necessary to:
- Fully investigate the incident in order to gather the evidence needed to prove liability.
- Get their client evaluated by a trusted medical professional who can determine how much medical care they need.
- Vigorously negotiate with any insurance carrier or railroad involved to recover fair compensation for clients.
- Prepare to take the case all the way to trial if necessary to ensure their client is treated fairly.
What Causes Train Derailment Incidents?
Train derailments can happen in various ways, almost always due to the careless or negligent actions of a railroad or track owner or operator. Information available from the Federal Railroad Administration shows us that there were more than 1,000 total derailments during the latest reporting year we have on file. Over the last decade, there have been more than 10,000 train derailments. Some of the leading causes of these incidents include the following:
- Track related issues. This includes issues such as broken rails or weldings, track geometry problems, buckled tracks, joint bar defects, and other issues.
- Equipment failure. This can be caused by equipment failure on the train or a car near the track crossing. Equipment failure can include train brake failure, locomotive wheel or bearing failure, electronic defects, and more. Additionally, it is not uncommon for a car or truck to break down on the track.
- Human error. Human error can include a conductor operating the train too fast for conditions, failing to obey track regulations, not communicating with the operator, violating switch or mainline rules, incorrectly setting track switches, and more.
- Environmental factors. Environmental factors are often out of the control of any party involved, and this can include flash floods, high winds, avalanches, rockslides, and more.
Call a Virginia Train Derailment Accident Attorney Today
If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury caused by a train derailment in Virginia, you need to reach out to the team at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp for help as soon as possible. Our attorneys have the resources necessary to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and make sure that you recover full compensation for your losses. This can include coverage of medical bills, lost income, property damage expenses, pain and suffering losses, and more. When you need a Virginia train derailment accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by filling out the contact form below or calling us at (833) 997-1774.