Denver Train Accident Attorneys

Injured on an Amtrak, Light Rail, or Other Train? We’re Here to Protect Your Rights.

The train industry is one of the backbones of the American economy, carrying millions of tons of goods and cargo across the United States. However, trains present numerous safety threats to drivers, pedestrians, and residents of communities adjacent to train tracks and railroad yards.

If you have been injured as a train passenger or as an outside pedestrian or driver, talk to our team at The Gilbert Law Group® for assistance. Our firm has been serving Denver for over 50 years. In that time, we have taken on multiple large companies responsible for negligently injuring others. The victims of serious injury deserve compensation from those at fault. We are here to hold negligent train companies accountable.

Call The Gilbert Law Group® at (888) 711-5947 for a free consultation. Our train accident attorneys are happy to serve clients in Denver and beyond.

Serious Injuries Associated with Train Accidents

Train accidents continue to seriously injure and kill thousands of Americans each year. In 2019, there were over 1,800 train accidents and 3,972 (non-occupational) injuries. More than 1,000 of the accidents were derailments caused by negligence such as human error and track defects.

Sadly, given the size and weight of trains, these accidents can result in fatal injuries to anyone involved. Survivors may sustain serious bodily injury such as:

• Amputation/loss of limb
• Multiple bone fractures
• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury

A victim’s life will never be the same after being injured in such a way. From lost wages to medical bills to persisting challenges, the emotional and financial costs of a train accident can be high. You deserve a strong attorney in your corner to help you make a claim for compensation.

Hazards to Communities: Train Derailments and Toxic Spills

Communities adjacent to train tracks are at a higher risk of catastrophic derailments that result in the spillage of hazardous or toxic materials. Chemical spills can result in extremely dangerous explosions and fires or result in toxic exposure to chemicals or fumes.

On January 6, 2005, two Norfolk Southern trains collided in Graniteville, South Carolina, because of a faulty rail switch. The collision ruptured a train car, which spilled 90 tons of chlorine gas, creating a huge toxic cloud over the community. Nine people died because of the accident and subsequent release of the toxic gas. Around 5,400 residents who lived within a mile of the crash site were forced to evacuate while officials cleaned up the spill and decontaminated the affected area.

This is just one example of the large scope a derailment and toxic spill can have on a community and its members. Such cases typically involve complex legal needs, and our attorneys have the skill and experience necessary to help those who were injured or lost loved ones.

Liability in Train Crashes

Parties that could be held accountable for catastrophic train accidents may include:

• The train transportation company, if employee negligence may have caused the accident;
• The train company or the road construction company responsible for installing and properly maintaining adequate warning signage and safe railroad crossings;
• The rail line manufacturer or company responsible for maintaining rail lines where a train derailed as a result of faulty tracks;
• Manufacturers of rail cars where rail car content spillage results from derailed or damaged train cars; and
• Auto manufacturers where a defective automotive component caused the victim’s vehicle to stall or become stuck on the train track.

Injuries to Rail Workers

Railroad workers continue to face significant on-the job dangers to their health and well-being. In 2019, 9 employees were killed and 3,895 injured in on-the-job railroad accidents. These jobs can be grueling and hazardous, with dangers ranging from human error, train collisions, the risks of switching and hooking up rail cars, and falling rail car contents.

While railroad workers may have the opportunity to obtain a settlement for their injuries through the workers' compensation claims process, the amount they receive is likely to constitute only a fraction of their former wages. Further, a settlement or judgment may not even cover all the worker’s medical bills.

As an injured worker, it is important to have an effective and experienced advocate like The Gilbert Law Group® on your side to investigate, litigate, and resolve your claims.

Attractive Nuisance, Railroads, and Injury to Children

Railroad companies have an obligation to block access to areas that they know or should know are attractive places for children to play and explore. Indeed, trains, railroads, and rail yards have captured the imagination of children for much of the last 150 years.

Under the attractive nuisance doctrine, owners may be liable for damages to children who are hurt or killed when they are able to enter dangerous areas because a property owner did not properly secure or take adequate measures to attempt to secure them. This responsibility extends to commercial properties that involve train tracks or other related structures that may draw children’s interest.

Each year, children are killed or sustain serious bodily injuries due to business owners’ failure to protect children. Parents and families of injured children deserve accountability to ensure that they are adequately compensated for the extensive long-term costs associated with caring for a seriously injured child as they grow and develop.

To learn more about seeking compensation for your train or rail crash injuries, contact us today at (888) 711-5947. Our skilled Denver attorneys are ready to fight for you.