Most people immediately picture a vehicle or airplane when they hear the term "transportation accident." However, freight and passenger train accidents (such as train to train collisions, train to vehicle collisions, train to pedestrian collisions, and derailment accidents) occur far more often than most realize. In fact, recent statistics by the Federal Railroad Administration confirm over 13,000 U.S. railroad accidents per year.

Based on the traveled speed and bulky size of a train, accidents usually involve serious to fatal repercussions for those involved. Serious personal injury can even occur to bystanders that are just in the vicinity of the accident. Of those 13,000 railroad accidents mentioned above, there was over 850 fatalities and 8,000 injuries involved.

Common Causes of Train Accidents

A substantial portion of train accidents have been the result of a negligent act or wrongdoing by at least one of those involved in the accident. Operator/driver error accounts for 40% of all train accidents, and maintenance failures and rail track defects account for over 30%. Other common causes of train accidents include:

Faulty crossing signals
Visual obstructions at railroad crossings
Train operator distraction
Train operator fatigue
Train operator under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Motor vehicle driver distraction
Motor vehicle driver fatigue
Motor vehicle driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Pedestrian trespassing on railroad right-of-way
Equipment defects on the train
Train mechanical problems (such as brakes failing)
Debris on rail tracks

Predominance of Highway-Railroad Crossing Train Accidents

There are 218,000 miles of U.S. rail track, with more than 250,000 highway-rail crossings. So, it should be no surprise that 96% of train accidents occur at these crossings.

Common Injuries Associated with Train Accidents

An accident involving tons of steel and cargo moving at a fast speed is a recipe for fatal, maiming, or serious injury to those involved. Some of the most frequent life-altering train injuries include:

Damage to major organs (heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, etc..)
Traumatic brain injury
Muscle and bone injuries
Stomach and chest injuries
Spinal cord injury
Extremity amputation
Burns

What to Do if You Were Injured

Those with an injury from a train accident could be eligible to receive monetary compensation from a personal injury lawsuit. Immediate family of deceased train accident victims may also be able to seek compensation with a wrongful death lawsuit. An experienced train accident lawyer can help you determine your legal rights and begin the legal path to compensation.