Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
New York City is widely regarded as one of the best cities for public transit. As a result, it comes as no surprise that trains play a major role in the daily lives of many New Yorkers. Additionally, those who commute to New York City for work often rely on the LIRR and other rail systems to get them to and from the city conveniently.
Unfortunately, a robust train system does not come without flaws. If you or a loved one have been injured in a Queens train accident, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and various other losses.
A dedicated Queens train accident attorney can help you pursue the full amount of compensation to which you may be entitled. Our team at Shulman & Hill can review your case for free and offer aggressive representation if needed. Contact our Queens personal injury lawyers to learn more.
Common Types of Queens Train Accidents
Train accidents take various forms. Examples of Queens train accidents include (but are not necessarily limited to) the following:
- Trains striking individuals on or near the tracks
- Trains injuring individuals by leaving the platform before a person has had a chance to fully board or leave a train
- Derailments
- Accidents on board trains (including slips and falls)
- Falls from platforms
- Trains colliding with other vehicles at railroad crossings
To better understand the devastating potential a Queens train accident can cause, consider the Kew Gardens train accident that occurred in 1950. This collision between two trains claimed the lives of nearly 80 people.
This monumental accident prompted the creation of the Metropolitan Transit Authority. While greater regulation has helped make major train accidents like this one much more rare, train accidents in Queens still happen. A few years ago, a derailment in the Woodside area of Queens left 19 passengers injured.
Statistics also indicate that subway trains striking individuals on or near the track is still a fairly common occurrence. Although some of these accidents occur because an individual was deliberately attempting to take their own life, that is not always the case.
Causes of Queens Train Accidents
Just as there are numerous types of Queens train accidents, so too are there a range of potential causes. Examples include:
- Train operator error
- Train operator distraction
- Intoxication on the part of the train operator
- Excessive speed
- Improperly maintained tracks
- Defective vehicles
- Hazards onboard trains (i.e. tripping or slipping hazards)
The Potential Consequences of a Queens Train Accident
If you are ever involved in a train accident in Queens, there are different factors that can contribute to the severity of your injuries and losses. Struggles you may face in the aftermath of an accident may include the following:
- Medical bills for both immediate and ongoing treatment
- An inability to earn a paycheck if you cannot work as a result of your injuries
- Loss of mobility (whether temporary or permanent)
- Physical pain and suffering
- Inability to complete day-to-day tasks by yourself
- Inability to support and/or provide for your loved ones
- Inability to participate in activities you once enjoyed
- Overall diminished quality of life
If you were harmed in a Queens train accident that you believe may have resulted from someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses accordingly. Seeking compensation can be a challenging process if you attempt to go it alone.
Right now, your focus should be on your recovery. Working with our personal injury law firm in the Queens area can help ensure that you have representation from qualified experts who can help you pursue compensation for your losses.
How a Queens Train Accident Law Firm Can Help
There are numerous ways in which a Queens train accident lawyer can help in the aftermath of an accident. The following are some of the more significant tasks Shulman & Hill can assist you with:
Investigating the accident
Investigating your train accident thoroughly may not be a task you can handle on your own. A proper investigation requires leveraging substantial resources that the average person would not necessarily have access to. Our Queens personal injury lawyers have these tools at their disposal to lead a thorough investigation.
An investigation serves two main purposes in these circumstances. First, investigations can often yield evidence proving your accident was genuinely the result of another party’s negligence. It can also help us determine who this negligent party may be.
If your Queens train accident occurred because a component of the train itself did not function properly, the negligent party responsible for compensating you may be those involved in maintaining the train. However, an investigation may uncover that the malfunction was actually the result of a manufacturing defect. In this case, negligence on behalf of the train’s designers or manufacturers would be the cause of the accident.
Pursuing Fair Compensation
When seeking compensation after a Queens train accident, the process often begins with filing a lawsuit against the negligent party.
Some insurance companies do not want you to hire an attorney. In many cases, they have experienced legal teams that are prepared to negotiate aggressively when you file a claim. Because most victims likely have little experience in legal matters, they may have a better chance of convincing you to take the first available offer.
If you find yourself in a negotiation, it can be immensely helpful to have an attorney on your side. Attorneys can provide legal counsel and negotiate for an offer that accounts for the full extent of your losses.