Amtrak Injuries: Chicago Train Crash Lawsuits?
Twelve people were injured in a Chicago train crash Thursday morning when an Amtrak train and Metra commuter train carrying 1,500 people collided near Union Station.
As with a number of train crashes in recent years, you can expect a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.
The two trains collided where two tracks converge, but were so slow-moving that few people were harmed. Even with blown out train windows, most passengers were able to follow emergency lights and self-evacuate, reports The Chicago Sun-Times.
Train crashes happen, unfortunately. So will there be Chicago train crash lawsuits?
Amtrak owns Union Station and therefore controls the movement of all trains and operates the switches, reports The Baltimore Sun. It's currently looking into whether the crash was caused by human error or by a switching problem, but will likely be joined by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Because injuries (physical and emotional) resulted from the crash, the likelihood of a lawsuit is high.
However, from the little that is known thus far, it's unclear as to who will be sued and on what theory.
If it's found that the accident was caused by human error, then there will likely be a negligence lawsuit against the person's employer. But if the crash was the result of a switching problem, then a negligence lawsuit will likely be filed against Amtrak, along with a products defect lawsuit against parts manufacturers.
At this point, it's hard to tell, but know that someone will be held financially responsible if (when?) the Chicago train crash lawsuits are filed.
Related Resources:
- Amtrak And Metra Trains Collide At Union Station (Huffington Post)
- NTSB Investigation into Deadly Train Crash in LA Ends (FindLaw's Injured)
- D.C. Train Crash Lawsuits on the Way? (FindLaw's Injured)
- NTSB Faults Another Subway System, This Time In Boston (FindLaw's Injured)