Attorney Brendan J. Noonan obtained a $30,000 settlement for a client that slipped and fell while traveling on the Amtrak Acela train. Read More Case Results
About AMTRAK
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, also known as AMTRAK, is a railroad passenger service that was created by the United States government with the passage of a Bill in 1970. While it was created by the government it is not a government entity. Amtrak is a private company and as such can be sued in civil court for injuries and damages that result from its carelessness and negligence. Amtrak operates trains on tracks that run through almost every state in the United States and a few provinces in Canada.
The Northeast Corridor is Amtrak’s busiest stretch of track in the nation. The Northeast Corridor runs trains from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, New York, and Providence through Boston. High demand for Northeast Corridor transit led Amtrak to add Acela Express services to the Northeast Corridor in 2012. Amtrak Acela Express trains can reach up to 150 mph. The Acela trains only travel 150 mph on 33 miles of track between Mansfield, Massachusetts and Richmond, Rhode Island. The Amtrak Acela trains run through several Massachusetts towns at the peak speed of 150 mph including Mansfield, Attleboro, Foxborough and Sharon.
Click on the following link (or watch below) to see a video of the Acela passing through Mansfield at speeds of 150 mph https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsMo7sUCIss
AMTRAK Acela Express Derailment and Collisions
When most people step foot on a train they assume that they will have a safe trip. While most Amtrak trains arrive at their destinations without accidents or injuries, accidents do occur. The following are some of the more notable Amtrak train accidents that occurred over the years:
- May 12, 2015: Amtrak Northeast Regional Train derailed in Philadelphia causing 2 train’s cars to leave the tracks. 185 Amtrak passengers were injured and 8 passengers were killed.
- April 3, 2016: Amtrak train traveling along the Northeast Corridor was involved in a train accident near Philadelphia. 35 Amtrak passengers were injured and 2 crew members died.
- 2017: An Amtrak Acela train that departed from Washington, D.C. derailed while traveling at a slow rate of speed which resulted in several minor injuries.
Train Accidents
On March 28, 2018, 22News-I-Team reported on a recent fatal Amtrak accident where an Amtrak train struck a snow plow at a railroad crossing on Birnie Road in Longmeadow. The report indicated that this accident was not the first to occur at this particular location and included the following:
- 8/26/75 – One person killed when their truck was hit while it was moving over the tracks at 1:25AM
- 5/20/81 – Two people were killed when their car was hit while it was stopped on the tracks at 5:00PM
- 12/10/82 – One person was killed when their truck was hit while stopped on the tracks at 7:05PM
- 6/20/83 – No one was hurt when a car was hit when it was stalled on the tracks.
- 11/18/90 – One person injured when a car was hit moving over the tracks at 2:43PM
- 7/27/05 – No one was hurt when a car was hit while it was stopped on the tracks at 1:20PM
- 3/14/17 – One person was killed when their truck was hit crossing the tracks at 4:00PM
These accidents may have occurred in part due to a lack of proper warnings. “At crossing on Birnie Road in Longmeadow there aren’t any flashing signals or crossing sticks to warn a driver a train is coming.” Amtrak immediately began blaming the Department of Public Works, who in turn said it was up to legislators to fix the problem.
Examples like the string of preventable accidents on Birnie Road are why you need an experienced lawyer. Sometimes, more than one party is at fault and can be held liable for an accident, and when those who caused an accident start blaming others, an experienced attorney can help sort out the facts and get you the best possible results in a case involving a train injury or accident claim.
Types of Amtrak Train Accidents and Injuries
Not all Amtrak Acela Accidents involve serious collisions and derailments resulting in catastrophic injuries and fatalities. The following is a list of some of the more common accidents and injuries that occur on Amtrak trains everyday:
- Slip and Fall Injuries: Snow and ice and split beverages can cause train platforms and aisles in passenger cars to become very slick and slippery. Amtrak has a responsibility to take reasonable steps to remedy these hazards so their passengers are not exposed to preventable slip and fall accidents.
- Sudden Stops and Sudden Accelerations: Passengers can be thrown to the ground and injured if the conductor suddenly stops or accelerates the train.
- Employee Negligence: Employees are people and people are negligent and make mistakes from time to time. Amtrak is responsible for the conduct of their employees and must provide compensation to passengers that are injured due to the negligence of their employees.
- Derailment: Trains are very heavy and travel at fast speeds so its no wonder that train derailments usually result in catastrophic and fatal injuries. Some of Amtrak’s past derailments and collisions were preventable and therefore Amtrak was responsible for past Amtrak train derailment accidents and injuries.
Experienced Amtrak Train Accident Lawyer
Initial Consultations Are Always Free – No Fee Unless We Recover For You
If a loved one suffered serious injury or death due to a Amtrak Acela train accident call our attorneys today to schedule a free consultation to find out if you are entitled to compensation. We understand that no amount of compensation can ease the pain of losing a loved one, but the law entitles you to pursue a wrongful death claim to help cover medical, funeral and other expenses, as well as the right to seek damages to hold those responsible accountable for the actions.
