Long Island Railroad Accident Lawyer
If you were injured in a railroad accident, whether as a passenger or as a railroad employee, you deserve compensation. The Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) covers railroad workers when an accident occurs as a result of the railroad’s negligence. Injured passengers can seek compensation by taking legal action.
A Long Island railroad accident lawyer will work to recover damages you incurred as the result of your accident. Call Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. at 516-932-0400 for a free case review.
Common Causes of Train Accidents
With the number of trains running from, to, and within New York, the number of passengers and workers is correspondingly large, and so is the number of accidents.
Train accidents can happen as a result of several causes, including the following:
- The train operator made a mistake
- The conductor was negligent
- The platform was wet or oily
- The bridge collapsed
- The train crossing malfunctioned
- The equipment failed
- The train collided with a vehicle attempting to cross train tracks
- The train collided with another train
- The track was not properly maintained
If human error is a factor in a train accident, this typically involves the engineer’s driving at an excessive speed, failing to brake in a timely manner, and/or being distracted.
Often, the accident was caused by a combination of human error and track malfunctions. Either way, the railroad should be liable for injuries that result from these accidents.
Proving Fault
The first step we take in handling your Long Island railroad accident injury case is to identify the party at fault for the accident.
The legal team at Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. will investigate your case to determine not only how your train accident happened, but also who is at fault. Depending upon the particulars of your case:
- We will visit the scene of the accident and collect evidence
- We will obtain official police reports
- We will talk to witnesses and review witness accounts of the accident
- We will work with accident reconstruction specialists to fully understand how the accident happened
Establishing Liability
The next essential step we take in your railroad accident personal injury case is to tie the at-fault party we identified to the law’s definition of liability.
To accomplish this, we must do the following:
- Establish that a party (the railroad) had a duty to take reasonable steps to keep you protected from harm, danger, and injury.
- Establish that the party failed in this duty of care.
- Establish that this failure caused your accident that resulted in your injuries.
- Establish that you have suffered damages as a result of your injury.
Our Long Island railroad accident lawyers at Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. will prove fault and establish liability for your train accident. Tell us about your case today and obtain a free, no-obligation case review by calling 516-932-0400.
Calculating Damages
Once we have determined who is liable for your injuries, we will turn our attention to the damages we are going to demand on your behalf.
Types of Recoverable Damages in a Long Island Railroad Accident
- Emergency transportation, including ambulance and helicopter
- Doctor and surgeon fees
- Hospitalization charges
- Medical treatment, both current and ongoing/future
- Prescription medicine
- Medication for pain management
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation services
- Pain and suffering
- Anxiety and other forms of emotional distress
- Wages you lost as a result of missing work due to your injuries
- Other lost income
- Diminished quality of life
- Diminished future potential earnings
- Replacement services
If a loved one died in a railroad accident caused by another party’s negligence, you may pursue a wrongful death action. Our attorneys will prosecute this case on your behalf with compassion. We are determined to win the compensation you are entitled to and the justice your departed loved one deserves.
Our legal team will request damages after tying dollar figures to the above categories and other damage types that are appropriate to your case.
Injuries Resulting from Railroad Accidents
Victims in railroad accidents can suffer a myriad of injuries, including:
- Cuts and lacerations
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Bone breaks ( fractures)
- Bruises and contusions
- Injuries to the back
- Back and neck injuries
- Burns
- Other musculoskeletal and neurological injuries
Determining Your Damages with Expert Opinions
Some of the numbers we factor in will come from experts who can speak to the effect your injuries will have on your life. For example, one expert might offer an opinion about your future employability in your profession—or even in other careers you would have been able to pursue, but, because of your injuries, are no longer career options for you.
Some of the medical experts we can tap for this purpose are:
- Medical records
- Economic experts
- Vocational experts
- Lifecare planners
Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA)
If you were a railroad employee when you sustained injuries from a train accident, you are protected by FELA. This law was put in place to compensate railroad workers who were injured while working on the country’s developing railroads.
FELA claims require proof that the railroad contributed to or caused your injury. Once this is established, you are entitled to compensation.
Discuss your case with a FELA accident claims attorney today.
Filing Your FELA Claim in Your Long Island Railroad Case
It is important that you begin the process early, as there are deadlines associated with filing a claim after an accident. By working with a lawyer, you can rest assured that these deadlines, and every other procedural aspect of timely filing your claim or action, are met.
Getting an early start will give your injury attorney the time to build a sturdy case. The sooner you contact us, the greater our opportunity to build the strongest case possible on your behalf.
Hire a Long Island Railroad Accident Lawyer Today
You deserve compensation for the injuries you sustained in your train accident. Our Long Island railroad accident lawyers are eager to help you.
When you call our office, you can speak to members of our team in multiple languages, including Spanish, English, Bengali, Greek, Tamil, and Kannada).
Call us today at 516-932-0400. And remember, it costs nothing up front to hire an injury lawyer. You pay us nothing unless and until you recover compensation.
