Train Accidents - California Accident Attorneys

At The Nezhad Law Firm, PLC, we know how a train accident involving you or a loved one involved seriously affects the quality of one's life. That is why the California train accident attorneys at The Nezhad Law Firm, PLC are committed to helping you recover the compensation you deserve in the wake of recklessness or negligence by another party. In fact, our skilled staff of accident attorneys have spent more than three decades achieving successful legal outcomes for a wide range of accident clients throughout California.

More than that though, we care deeply about our clients. Our supportive, personal approach means that you
will not be dealing with the stress of a hurried, high-pressure legal consultation while also coping with the aftermath of an accident. Instead, we will take the time to discuss your case with you then devise the winning strategy that you need.

Train Accidents in California

The accident attorneys of The Nezhad Law Firm, PLC, represent California clients who have either sufffered injury or loss of a loved one as a result of a California train accident. Trains have been around for over 150 years and they continue to play a vital role in our economy. They transport goods over long distances far more cheaply than do planes or trucks. However, all those trains mean that there are frequent accidents and, because trains are so large, these accidents can cause very serious injuries. Thousands of people are injured by trains in the United States every year. Such an injury may give rise to a claim against a railroad. If you have been injured or have lost a loved one as a result of a railroad accident in California, The Nezhad Law Firm, PLC can help.

Of course, the best way to deal with California train collisions is to prevent them in the first place. Drivers and pedestrians need to remember that trains are large and heavy, and they take a long time to stop. Trains are confined to their tracks and if you are on the tracks, they will probably hit you. Drivers who are crossing a railroad track should carefully check for trains before crossing the tracks, even if the crossing is equipped with warning devices such as lights and gates.

Drivers must be especially careful at crossings where there is more than one set of tracks, because a train on the first set of tracks may obscure their view of a train on the second set of tracks. Never cross the tracks unless there is room for your car to drive completely off of the tracks on the other side. If a train is anywhere in sight, wait for it to pass. Needless to say, do not drive around lowered crossing gates. It is far better to be a few minutes late than dead.

Pedestrians also need to exercise caution and should follow the same rules as drivers. Pedestrians should cross train tracks only at marked crossings, and they should not walk across or fish from a train trestle because they may be trapped if a train arrives unexpectedly. Train tracks should never be used as paths or walkways. In fact, pedestrians should be very careful even when walking beside railroad tracks because trains hang over the edge of the tracks by at least three feet on each side-cargo may extend this distance even further.

Accidents Happen

Unfortunately, people are sometimes involved in an accident with a train. If this happens, the nature of the injured person's claim may depend on what the person was doing at the time he or she was injured. People who are hurt in a collision with a train may have a negligence claim against the railroad. To prevail on a negligence claim requires showing that the railroad owed the person some duty of care and that the railroad breached this duty and caused some injury.

Although trains usually have the right of way, this does not mean that trains may go barreling through crossings at top speed at all times. Instead, the operator of the train must use reasonable care, which may mean slowing down in built up areas and keeping a sharp lookout for vehicles or pedestrians. Reasonable care may also require a railroad to erect the appropriate warning and signal devices in order to alert people when a train is coming.

Railroads owe a higher obligation to the passengers who "ride the rails." For historical reasons, railroads are usually treated as common carriers, which means that although they are not insurers of the safety of their passengers, they may have an affirmative obligation to protect them from harm, including injuries that might occur when the train is derailed. All of the facts and circumstances surrounding the accident can affect the determination of whether the railroad was or was not negligent.

If the accident involves an employee of the railroad, the claim is subject to a federal law called the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA). Unlike most workers' compensation laws, which protect workers who have been hurt at work regardless of fault, FELA requires that the injured worker show that the railroad was negligent. Railroads do have a general obligation to provide workers with a safe place to work, and if the worker is injured because the railroad did not provide him or her with the appropriate tools or equipment, the railroad may be guilty of negligence.

Get Legal Help

Railroad injury lawsuits in California can involve navigating a minefield of state and federal laws and will require showing that the railroad should be liable under the particular circumstances of the case. Do not do it alone. For a free consultation to discuss your train accident case with The Nezhad Law Firm, PLC, speak to one of our California train accident attorneys by calling us toll free at 1 (877) 285-2539. We are available to handle personal injury and wrongful death cases for people throughout the state of California.

Facts about train accidents

On average, there is a train collision or derailment every two hours.
A train carrying hazardous materials derails about every two weeks.
More than one-half of accidents involving trains occur at unprotected crossings.
The federal government says that 80% of all railroad crossings have inadequate warning devices.
It takes a train traveling at 55 mph a mile to stop after the emergency brakes are applied.

The attorneys at The Nezhad Law Firm, PLC have more than 30 years of experience representing clients who have suffered personal and financial loss as a result of serious accidents. If you or a family member has been involved in an airplane crash, please contact us to discuss your case by calling 1 (877) 285-2539.

At The Nezhad Law Firm PLC, our goal is for you to receive the compensation you deserve for medical bills,
lost wages, pain and suffering, permanent disability, and loss of enjoyment of life. In short, our clients always come first. We will fight for you until a fair and just legal outcome can be achieved. With offices in throughout California, The Nezhad Law, PLC has the experience and resources necessary to investigate and resolve your case. Our attorneys are adept negotiators who have the necessary trial experience to obtain the best possible results for your California railroad accident claim.

Free Train Accident Legal Consultation:

There is never a charge to talk to a train accident attorney at The Nezhad Law Firm, PLC.. With a convenience office locations throughout the enitre State of California, and the willingness to make house calls, our accident attorneys in Califonia will be there when you need them. If we accept your case, we would handle your case on a contingency fee basis.

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The Nezhad Law Firm, P.L.C. has offices accident clients throughout the enitire states of California, including Anaheim, Bakersfield, Calabasa, Camarillo, Chino, Colton, Costa Mesa, Fallbrook, Fontana, Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Mojave, Moreno Valley, Norco, North Hollywood, Northridge, Oakland, Oceanside, Orange, Palm Desert, Redlands, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Anna, Simi Valley, Tarzana, Tustin, Valencia and Ventura.

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