Kissimmee is a hub for Amtrak and SunRail, so many local residents use these passenger train services when commuting or traveling. CSX also runs freight trains through the area. Unfortunately, various types of train accidents can occur, causing serious injuries and death.
If you were hurt or if a loved one was killed in an incident involving a locomotive, contact a Kissimmee railroad accident lawyer at The Florida Firm. Our personal injury attorneys are highly skilled in all forms of complex litigation. Other lawyers refer their injured friends and family to us because of our integrity, legal skill, and long record of success.
Types of Train Incidents We Handle
There are various kinds of accidents that could involve trains. Our attorneys are equipped to handle any incident on or involving a locomotive that results in serious injury or death.
Railroad Crossing Accidents
Collisions between trains and vehicles at railroad crossings happen all too frequently. These accidents often kill the vehicle’s occupants or leave survivors with severe injuries. To establish liability for your accident, we could investigate whether the railroad or another party failed to observe proper safety procedures or keep the crossing equipment in good working order.
Slip and Fall Cases
We could help you pursue compensation if you were injured in a fall or other mishap as you were embarking or disembarking the train. We also handle cases involving falls on the platform or in the station, injuries from falling objects on the platform or the train itself, and other similar accidents.
Incidents Involving Pedestrians
Tragically, trains sometimes hit a pedestrian or cyclist. We could represent anyone who survived such an accident or their family if the incident was fatal.
Mass Casualty Events
The Florida Firm also represents victims of large-scale catastrophes, such as collisions and derailments involving passenger trains or freight train accidents that release hazardous materials that cause illness and injuries. Our Kissimmee train crash attorneys are experienced with complex, multi-party litigation and could advocate fiercely to ensure you receive fair compensation for your losses.
What Makes Train Accident Cases So Complicated?
Train accident cases are complex due to several factors. Many railroad incidents involve both federal and state laws. An attorney who is handling a train accident claim must be experienced with the procedures in both state and federal courts.
Train crash cases often involve multiple potentially responsible parties. Depending on the circumstances, these might include the:
- Train’s owner and operator
- Companies responsible for track design and maintenance
- Company responsible for maintenance of the locomotive
- Manufacturers of the locomotive, its components, signal equipment, and railroad crossing equipment
- Shipper of any hazardous cargo
Other potentially responsible parties include the drivers and manufacturers of other involved vehicles, as well as pedestrians or cyclists involved in the accident, and anyone else whose negligence may have contributed to the incident.
Sometimes, a train accident involves only one injured person, but in many cases, numerous people have claims arising from the same incident. Multiple claims mean more competition for the pool of money to compensate injured people. The Florida Firm’s railroad accident attorneys in Kissimmee could use a strategic approach in your case to ensure a successful outcome results in fair compensation for your losses.
Get Legal Counsel Quickly After a Railroad Accident
Florida Statutes § 95.11 sets the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits at two years from the date of the accident. If your family is seeking compensation for your loved one’s wrongful death, you also must file a lawsuit within two years.
However, it is advantageous to engage a Kissimmee lawyer to represent you in your train accident case as soon as possible. A legal professional could begin investigating the case immediately and demand the preservation of critical evidence before it is lost or destroyed.
In addition, attorneys for responsible parties may approach you offering a quick settlement. These offers typically represent only a fraction of your claim’s value, but it may sound like a large sum, and you might be tempted to sign away your right to sue. If you have an attorney, the responsible parties must communicate only through your legal representative and cannot pressure you to accept an inadequate offer.
Consult a Kissimmee Attorney After a Train Accident
If you were badly hurt in a train accident or if a loved one died, the responsible parties must compensate you for your losses. Ensuring a fair result in these complex cases requires a highly skilled and experienced Kissimmee railroad accident lawyer.
Our attorneys at Colling Gilbert Wright have an impressive record of obtaining generous settlements and verdicts in complicated injury cases. We do not charge fees or expenses unless we are successful, so we take all the risk. Discuss your train accident case with a member of our team today.