Bohemia Railroad Accident Lawyer
Thousands of people are injured in railroad accidents each year. Unfortunately, this is a particularly common issue in metropolitan New York, where scores of passenger and freight train lines converge and so many people rely on train transportation each day.
If you were injured in a railroad accident, you may be facing many losses, including medical bills, pain and suffering, potential disability, and lost wages. Fortunately, a personal injury attorney could help you seek recovery for all these damages and potentially more. Retaining a Bohemia railroad accident lawyer to assist with your case could be critical to successfully pursuing the compensation you are owed for your injuries.
Assigning Liability for Railroad Accidents
Railroad operators such as LIRR, Amtrak, and Metro-North are legally responsible for the safety of their lines and equipment. When railroad personnel fails in their respective duties of care, people are often injured or killed. Train derailments, track defects, defective train equipment, and poorly marked or maintained crossings all commonly lead to serious accidents, as do failures to signal, speeding, and distracted or fatigued operation by train crew members.
In many instances, train operators are the primarily liable parties for injuries caused in railroad accidents. However, if an accident is caused by something outside of an operator or engineer’s control, such as livestock on a track, they may not be liable.
Regardless, any incident involving trains can involve complex issues of federal and state law, and experienced legal guidance can be important to understanding potential claims and liability. Even when liability is clear, railroad companies and their insurance companies often work hard to avoid liability or pay as little as they can, but an experienced railroad accident attorney in Bohemia could work hard to help a plaintiff recover full and fair compensation.
Recoverable Damages
Victims of railroad accidents may be entitled to different types of compensation depending on the specifics of their cases. In a typical case, a plaintiff could be able to recover compensation for damages such as:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Lost earning potential
- Loss of consortium with family members
In order to protect and support any claims that they may have, it is important for accident victims to seek appropriate medical treatment as soon as possible for any injuries they sustain. Even what seems to be a minor injury can worsen over time, so getting timely treatment can be important. Moreover, established documentation of injuries can play a critical role in an accident victim’s ability to recover civil damages later on.
FELA Coverage for Railroad Workers
Railroad employees can also suffer serious injuries in a train accident, but the procedure they must follow to pursue a civil claim is different from that for passengers. It also differs from standard workers compensation law.
Railroad workers are covered by the Federal Employees’ Liability Act (FELA), which provides for compensation for railroad employees’ on-the-job injuries. This is a complex area of law, so it is often especially important to have an experienced lawyer help with FELA claims in Bohemia.
Contact a Bohemia Railroad Accident Attorney
If you were hurt in a railroad accident in New York, getting sound legal advice from a Bohemia railroad accident lawyer as soon as possible may be of critical importance to your physical and financial wellbeing. Any injury claim can be an uphill battle without experienced legal assistance on your side, but an experienced attorney could investigate and pursue your railroad injury claim with diligence and expertise. Call today for a consultation.
