NYC Train Accident Lawyer

If you have been involved in a train accident in NYC and need help, rest assured that you can rely on us to provide the assistance you need.” 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

Determining who is responsible for your accident injuries is a substantial part of what an NYC train accident attorney does. Our lawyers and investigators work hard to ensure you are compensated for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Beyond this critical part of our job, The Platta Law Firm stands firm against insurance companies, the MTA and, in some cases, the government, who might be working to keep you from obtaining the compensation you deserve. Our NYC personal injury lawyers have the experience, insight, and proven ability to win tough cases like yours. Our NYC train accident attorneys have:

• 150+ years of combined 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 Super Lawyers, 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 win your case and 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 were severely injured or lost family members in all types of train accidents. This includes commercial, passenger, and freight train accidents, such as:

• MTA accidents
• Subway accidents
• PATH train accidents
• Amtrak train accidents
• Metro-North train accidents
• New Jersey Transit train accidents
• Long Island Railroad train accidents
• New Jersey Rail and Port Authority accidents

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 lost a family member in a fatal train accident, 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 frequently involved in accidents.

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 and negligent motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians
• The train manufacturer (product liability)
• Negligent train operators, engineers, conductors, or staff
• Stalled vehicles on the tracks
• Communication and warning signal errors
• Operating trains at 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. We’ll take the time to understand every 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 an NYC
Train Derailment?

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

• The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
• 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.

Your financial award will be adjusted based on your liability. For example, if you are assigned a 10 percent fault, your damages will be lower by that amount. 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 anticipate these types of tactics and are ready with arguments, facts, and evidence to show they’re false or limit their impact.

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, accommodating more than 1.3 million people daily. 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 rail activity, it’s no surprise that railroad accidents are fairly common. Nationwide, there were 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 died in NYC train accidents. In 2020, there were at least 169 accidents involving trains and people. Sixty-three of those train accidents were fatal.

Train Collisions and Derailments Can Cause Catastrophic Injuries and Wrongful Deaths

Even moving at slow speeds, trains can cause serious damage to property and personal 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 obtain the funds you’ll need to compensate for your injuries. Don’t hesitate to contact our NYC law office if you’ve suffered:

• Burn injuries
• Internal bleeding and organ damage
• Surgical or traumatic amputation
• Broken bones or fractures
• Trauma to the eyes or face
• Hearing-related injuries
• Neck injury
• Back injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Traumatic brain injury
• The wrongful death of a family member.

Common Damages in a New York Train Accident

A train accident lawyer in New York City will pursue funds that compensate for your financial costs, losses, and the pain and suffering you’ve experienced. Train accident victims are typically able to seek damages for things like:

• Nursing care
• Rehabilitation
• Mental anguish and PTSD
• Property damage
• Medical bills and expenses
• Wrongful death of a family member
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of wages, income, and benefits
• Chronic physical pain and loss of quality of life
• Temporary and/or permanent disability
• Punitive damages due to gross negligence and intentional misconduct

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

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

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

Generally, personal injury cases involving catastrophic injuries and death are worth the most. The costs and consequences of such injuries tend to be high. However, more moderate levels of trauma can also have significant costs. 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 prepare a case demanding compensation representing 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 applied 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 are 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 agency itself. This might sound like a lot of time, but it’s really not—especially when you’re struggling with painful, debilitating injuries. You’ll lose the right to recover much-needed compensation if you miss the deadline. Speak with an attorney as soon as you can after your train accident to protect your rights.

Trusted NYC Train Accident Lawyers Near You

The Platta Law Firm serves clients in the five boroughs. We fight to recover maximum compensation for your injuries and suffering. 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 also standing by online to review your case now.