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 has been injured in a Queens train accident, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and various other losses.
A train accident lawyer in Queens can help you pursue the full amount of compensation to which you may be entitled. Shulman & Hill, founded in 2013, can review your case for free and offer aggressive representation if needed. Contact our Queens personal injury lawyers to learn more.
Why Choose Shulman & Hill After a Queens Train Accident?
A train accident can leave you facing serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and uncertainty about what comes next. The right legal team can make a significant difference in your recovery and your financial future.
At Shulman & Hill, we have the experience, resources, and dedication to pursue the compensation you deserve while providing responsive, client-focused representation throughout your case. Here’s why clients choose our personal injury lawyers:
- Over $1 billion recovered: Our firm has recovered more than $1 billion for injured clients. We fight to maximize compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
- Over 200 years of combined experience: Our train accident lawyers in Queens bring more than two centuries of combined legal experience to every case. We know how to investigate train accidents and hold negligent parties accountable.
- Over 26,000 clients served: Thousands of injury victims have trusted our firm to protect their rights. We are committed to providing personalized guidance and strong advocacy from start to finish.
- Big–city experience with easy local access: We have extensive experience handling serious injury cases throughout New York City while remaining accessible to clients in Queens. You receive the resources of a proven personal injury firm along with the attentive service you deserve.
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 rarer, 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 are 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 (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 professionals who can help you pursue compensation for your losses.
What Compensation Is Available in a Train Accident Lawsuit?
If you were injured in a train accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation for the physical, financial, and emotional impact of your injuries. The amount available depends on the facts of your case, the severity of your injuries, and the evidence supporting your claim.
Our experienced New York personal injury lawyers can identify all available damages, gather critical evidence, and pursue the full compensation allowed under New York law.
- Medical expenses: Compensation may include emergency treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, medications, and future medical care. Victims with traumatic brain injuries or other catastrophic conditions often require ongoing treatment that should be factored into the value of a personal injury claim.
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity: If your injuries prevent you from working temporarily or permanently, you may recover compensation for lost income and the loss of future earning potential.
- Pain and suffering: A train accident can cause lasting physical pain and significant changes to your daily life. Personal injury lawyers work to document these losses and seek fair compensation for the impact the injuries have had on your well-being.
- Long–term disability and future care: Some victims require lifelong medical treatment, home modifications, assistive devices, or in-home care. These future expenses can be included in your claim.
- Wrongful death damages: When a train accident results in the loss of a loved one, eligible family members may pursue compensation for funeral expenses, lost financial support, and other damages available under New York law.
Shulman & Hill Will Pursue Maximum Compensation
After a train accident, securing fair compensation requires more than simply filing a claim. Shulman & Hill takes a thorough approach to building strong cases by investigating what happened, gathering critical evidence, and identifying all responsible parties.
With proven results and experience handling serious personal injury cases, we are prepared to fight for the outcome you deserve. Here’s how we pursue maximum compensation for our train accident clients:
- Evidence that strengthens your claim: Building a strong case often requires collecting maintenance records, surveillance footage, witness statements, and accident reports. Evidence from station platforms, the train car, or the conduct of railroad companies may help establish liability and support your claim.
- Negotiating with insurance companies: Insurance companies often attempt to minimize payouts or deny valid claims. Our personal injury lawyers protect your interests during negotiations and prepare every case as though it may proceed to trial if a fair settlement is not offered.
- Representation backed by proven results: Hiring our experienced personal injury lawyers can make a meaningful difference in the outcome of your case.
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. An investigation may uncover that the malfunction was actually the result of a manufacturing defect.
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 victims likely have little experience in legal matters, they may have a better chance of convincing you to take the first offer.
If you find yourself in a negotiation, it can be immensely helpful to have an attorney on your side. Our train accident lawyers in Queens can provide legal counsel and negotiate for an offer that accounts for the full extent of your losses.
Contact Our Queens Train Accident Attorneys Today
If you were injured in a train accident in Queens, you do not have to face the legal process on your own. Shulman & Hill is committed to helping injured New Yorkers pursue the compensation they need to move forward after a serious accident.
Our personal injury firm is based in Manhattan, with offices across all boroughs, making it easy to access experienced legal representation no matter where you are in New York City.
If you have questions about your rights or the claims process, visit our FAQ page to learn more. When you are ready to discuss your case, contact Shulman & Hill to schedule a consultation with a train accident lawyer in Queens.
