In Cook County, Illinois, accident lawyers have already filed a train accident lawsuit on behalf of a family that was on the Amtrak train that crashed into a freight train on the South Side last Friday, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The lawsuit was filed against Amtrak and the Norfolk Southern Freight Company.
The victim and his family were headed to Chicago for a weekend of holiday shopping when the Chicago bound train, that was reportedly speeding, crashed into a freight train. He sustained a fractured shoulder and a concussion.
The lawsuit is alleging negligence against both train companies, and the personal injury lawyers that filed for the plaintiffs reportedly will be seeking a protective order for all documents related to the accident.
The Amtrak train was allegedly going 25 miles in excess of the speed that track signals indicated was safe, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. 71 people, including several Amtrak employees, went to 12 area hospitals as a result of the crash near 52nd and Shields.