NYC Train Accident Lawyer

Contact us at 212-514-5100 to learn more and schedule a free consultation. We’re available to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Why You Should Call The Platta Law Firm After a Train Accident in NYC

What caused your train accident? Who’s at fault – the train operator, the rail service, or someone else? Who’s going to be responsible for your medical bills, lost wages, and the trauma you’ve experienced? Figuring out the answers to these questions will be critical if you want to recover compensation for your train accident injuries. But it won’t be easy. Insurance companies, the MTA, and even the government will fight you every step of the way. That’s where the Platta Law Firm can help. Our NYC personal injury lawyers have the experience, insight, and proven ability to win tough cases like yours.

• 130+ years of legal experience
• Settlements and verdicts exceeding $150+ Million
• Top-rated by peers and clients on platforms like Avvo, Facebook, and Google
• Award-winning attorneys recognized by SuperLawyers, Lawyers of Distinction, and the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys

Focus on getting better. Put yourself in the best position to win your train accident injury case. Call the Platta Law Firm and have our respected NYC trial attorneys handle your personal injury case from start to finish. We’ll fight tirelessly to not just win your case but maximize your financial recovery. Your first consultation is 100% free, so contact our law office in Manhattan to get started now.

We Handle All Train Accident Cases in New York City, NY

At the Platta Law Firm, we represent clients who have been severely injured or lost family members in all types of train accidents. This includes commercial train accidents, passenger train accidents, and freight train accidents, such as:

Our team handles train injury cases across all five NYC boroughs and surrounding areas, including Westchester and Long Island. If you’ve been hurt or had a family member die in a fatal train accident in the Big Apple, do not hesitate to call us at 212-514-5100 for help. We’ll be there to offer the guidance and support you deserve during this difficult time.

What Causes Most Train Accidents in NYC?

Trains and rail services are regulated by laws and rules governed by the Federal Railroad Administration. New York state has its own laws concerning train safety and operation. Despite that, trains are still involved in accidents quite often.

When there’s a train accident in or around New York City, it’s typically because someone is negligent or careless.

Some of the leading causes of train derailments, collisions, and accidents in NYC include:

• Trespassers
• Train operator distraction
• Stalled vehicles on the tracks
• Communication and warning signal errors
• Operating trains and high speeds or unsafe speeds
• Operator violation of switching or mainline rules
• Operating a train under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Train track issues, including broken rails and welds or buckled tracks
• Not slowing down when approaching a turn or coming into a train station
• Malfunctioning equipment, including faulty brakes, broken car wheels, or defects in axels bearing journals

Our experienced NYC personal injury attorneys will carefully assess your train accident case from every possible angle. We’ll take the time to understand every possible cause and contributing factor. The more we know about why the train derailed or collided, the better prepared we’ll be to seek full compensation on your behalf.

Who’s Responsible for my Injuries After a NYC Train Derailment?

Under New York state law, anyone who is directly or directly involved in causing a train accident can be on the hook for resulting harm. A thorough investigation into your train derailment or collision might find that one or more of the following parties share responsibility:

• Train manufacturers
• Negligent motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians
• The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
• Negligent train operators, engineers, conductors, or staff
• Transportation logistics companies or businesses hauling freight
• Commuter railroad companies like Amtrak, NJTransit, and the LIRR
• Federal or state government agencies responsible for rail design, construction, maintenance, and repair

If you were in a car accident that involved a train, there’s also the possibility that you could share fault or get blamed. This won’t mean that you can’t recover compensation. New York has a pure comparative fault system in place.

So, your financial award will simply be adjusted based on your liability. Getting assigned 10 percent fault would mean your damages would be reduced by 10 percent. Liability can be tricky – especially if an insurance company or train service tries to blame you for the collision. The Platta Law Firm will be there to stand up and defend you at every turn. We’ll anticipate these types of tactics and be ready with arguments, facts, and evidence to show they’re false or limit their impact.

Source

How Common are Train Accidents in New York City?

New York City is one of the largest hubs for train activity in the United States. It’s home to the famed Penn Station and Grand Central Stations, which accommodate more than 1.3 million people every single day.

These central hubs connect to dozens of other train and subway stations across the city and tri-state area in New Jersey and Connecticut. With so much train activity, it’s no surprise that railroad accidents are fairly common here. Nationwide, there were a reported 2,131 train accidents in 2021. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, these derailments and collisions caused at least 653 injuries and 237 deaths.

If you compare this statistic to data from the MTA, one out of every five train-related deaths happened in New York City. In the first eight months of 2021, at least 50 people were killed in NYC train accidents. In 2020, there were at least 169 accidents involving trains and people. 63 of those train accidents were fatal.

Train Collisions and Derailments Can Cause Catastrophic Injuries & Wrongful Deaths

Even moving at slow speeds, trains can cause serious damage to property and injuries. When trains derail or hit a fixed object at high speeds, catastrophic injuries and death are almost inevitable. Our train accident attorneys in New York City are ready to fight to get you all of the money you’ll need to compensate for your injuries. Don’t hesitate to contact our NYC law office if you’ve suffered:

Seek medical care and treatment immediately after your train collision or derailment. Getting to the emergency room, hospital, or doctor right away will ensure that your injuries are treated and documented promptly. This will not only benefit your health but also provide also establish a causal link between your accident and train injuries.

We’ll Fight to Maximize Your Financial Recovery After a Train Accident in New York

Maybe you were a passenger on an Amtrak that derailed as it pulled into Penn Station. Or maybe you were in a car that was struck by a train on the tracks out in Brooklyn or Queens. Whatever the circumstances, you can count on our personal injury lawyers in New York to help you seek maximum compensation for your injuries.

We’ll aggressively pursue money that compensates for your financial costs and losses (economic damages) and the pain and suffering you’ve experienced (non-economic damages). Train accident victims are typically able to seek damages for things like:

If you’ve lost a family member in a fatal train accident in New York, damages related to your loved one’s wrongful death may also be available to you. And, if there’s evidence of intentional misconduct or gross negligence, then punitive damages could also be awarded. Take this time to focus your energy on getting better and moving forward. Trust the Platta Law Firm to take on the MTA, railroad companies, and any negligent parties and fight to get you every cent you deserve.

How Much Money Can I Get After a New York Railroad Accident?

There are tons of factors that can affect the value of a train injury case. There are two that are really critical:

• How serious are your injuries?
• How will having been in the train accident change your life in the long term?

Generally, personal injury cases involving catastrophic injuries and death are worth the most money. The costs and consequences of those tend to be quite high. However, it’s not to say that cases involving more moderate levels of trauma can’t be worth a lot. It’s important to speak with an experienced train accident attorney near you in NYC to get specific information about what your case might be worth.

At The Platta Law Firm, we’ll carefully review the facts and evidence of your case and give you an idea about its value. Then, as we move forward and file an insurance claim or lawsuit, our team will turn to trusted and respected train injury experts. With their assistance, we can be prepared to build a case that demands compensation that represents the true costs and suffering you’ve experienced.

What’s the Time Limit for Filing a Lawsuit After a Train Accident in NYC?

The statute of limitations that applies to most personal injury lawsuits in New York is three years. If a train accident is fatal, surviving family members typically have just two years to file a wrongful death action.

These deadlines will apply to train accidents involving private train companies or services. There are exceptions – and these often apply in train accidents that involve a public transit system like MTA.

In cases involving the government, you’ll have just 90 days to file a special administrative claim with the government agency itself. This might sound like a lot of time, but it’s really not – especially when you’re struggling with painful, debilitating injuries. If you miss the deadline, you’ll lose the right to recover much-needed compensation. Speak with an attorney as soon as you can after your train accident to protect your rights.

Trusted NYC Train Accident Lawyers Near You

Were you recently involved in a train accident in or near New York City, New York? The Platta Law Firm serves clients in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and surrounding areas. Our NYC train accident lawyers are ready to help you fight to recover maximum compensation for your injuries and suffering.

Benefit from more than 130 years of experience and a legal team that’s won over $150 Million in financial awards. We offer a free case evaluation, and there’s no cost to hire our firm unless we win your case. No win, no fee – that’s our promise to you. Contact our law office at 212-514-5100 to learn more. Our team is standing by to take your call now.