Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
CTA train riders may have found their transit times delayed early yesterday morning along the red line tracks due to an earlier train derailment. Police have reported that a CTA train entered the station at 63rd Street and Ashland Avenue experienced what the CTA calls a “minor derailment,” leaving the train unable to continue on its route and significantly delaying trains behind it.
The incident occurred just before 1:00 a.m. on Thursday and forced the CTA to shut down power to a section of the red line tracks. Those on the derailed train were removed from their cars by officials and at this time, it does not appear that any serious injuries occurred. Passengers on two subsequent trains were stranded behind the derailed cars and had to be removed as well, some by walking along the tracks to a station and others through the use of a fire department ladder.
Service to the affected area of the tracks remained out for nearly five hours, causing some commuters to utilize buses provided by the CTA while others found a different way to travel.
It is fortunate that no one, passenger or CTA employee, was seriously injured in this crash. Often, though, when a public transit train derails, many people sustain injuries, some seriously. Passengers inside a public train do not have access to many of the safety features found in other forms of transportation, like seat belts, air bags, or padded surfaces. This means that when a train derails, a passenger can be thrown about inside the train with ease, possibly striking other passengers or hard surfaces within a train car.
Employees are also likely to be injured in a train derailment accident. A train derailment can result from many different causes but when the train begins to come off of the tracks towards the front of the train, the front car containing an operator may also derail, increasing the chances of injuries.
At Abels & Annes, P.C., we have significant experience representing both employees and passengers of CTA train accidents, including some who were injured in a CTA train derailment. When a train derails and causes injuries, an injured passenger or employee may be able to bring a claim for relief. This can exist even if the original derailment did not cause injury but subsequent evacuation of a train resulted in some type of physical harm. With our experience handling CTA train derailment cases, we understand the work that needs to be done and we know how to get our clients the maximum financial payment possible.
If you have been the victim of a train derailment, call the Chicago train accident lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a free telephone consultation. At Abels & Annes, P.C., we put our clients first from the initial phone call through completion of a personal injury case. That is why we have a lawyer standing by to take your call 24 hours a day at (312) 924-7575 and why we never charge a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf. There is no obligation with our free consultation so please call us today and let us help you.
Prior Blog Entries:
Crash Involving Semi Trucks Leaves 7 Dead, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published August 19, 2013.
Fatal Crash Involving Rollerblader in Chicago, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published August 16, 2013.
Resources:
Red Line train derails at 63rd and Ashland, Chicago Tribune, published August 22, 2013.