On your daily trip through Chicago, you might not realize how many trains you see. Train travel and train traffic is so common throughout the city that many residents look past the large number of trains that hit the tracks daily, accepting them as standard as the taxi cabs that take to city streets. Yet if you take the time to notice trains, you will realize that between public “L” trains in the city, Metra commuter trains from the suburbs, Amtrak trains for longer trips, freight trains hauling product, and other trains that may be passing through, it is hard to move around Chicago without the possibility of encountering a train.
You may be one of the millions that take a trip on a train every year in the greater Chicago area or across the state of Illinois. When you do so, you probably assume that everything will be safe and that you should have no worries while on board. Unfortunately, though, numerous train accidents occur in the state annually and many of them take place within the city limits of Chicago. Some of these accidents involve only one train while others may take place when multiple trains collide. Some of the most deadly train-related crashes involve either a passenger vehicle, like a car, or a pedestrian who may be walking in the area of train tracks. While a train is large, heavy, and may be difficult to stop, a person, in comparison, is small and unprotected, making it clear why these accidents can easily turn deadly.
When a pedestrian is injured or killed by a train, that victim or the victim’s surviving family members may be entitled to seek financial compensation for their damages, though no amount of money can ever be considered adequate when a loved one is killed. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer in the Chicago area may help you understand your legal rights, including whether you have a valid claim for your damages.
Shortly before 11:30 p.m. last night, a collision between a pedestrian and a freight train in Maywood left a woman in her 60s dead, according to local authorities. The incident happened near First Avenue and Main Street and resulted in the closure of the area while an investigation began.
Officials have not indicated what may have caused the crash or whether anyone involved may have acted negligently but they indicate that they are still reviewing the facts at this time. It does not appear that anyone on board the train was injured in the incident and the victim has not yet been identified.
When a train accident occurs, the injuries can range from minor to severe or even fatal and can affect passengers on board the train, employees working for the train company, drivers and passengers in a private car, pedestrians in the area, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and others. Often, those who are injured are innocent victims who are forced to withstand the damages caused by the actions of another.
At Abels & Annes, P.C., our personal injury lawyers believe that accident victims deserve to be heard and that they deserve to have their rights protected. We offer a free case consultation to all victims of train accidents in Illinois and we are standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575. If you prefer to meet with us in person but you are too injured to travel to our offices, we also offer free in-home and in-hospital consultations.
If your life has been affected by a train accident, do not continue to suffer in silence. Call Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us help you seek the relief you deserve.
Prior Blog Entry:
Chicago Thunderstorms May Lead to Car Accidents Today, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 2, 2014.
Resource:
Woman fatally struck by train in Maywood, by Quinn Ford, Chicago Tribune, published October 3, 2014.