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Although you might think that car accidents at railroad crossings are rare, they happen every day. In one recent year, there were 2,216 collisions at train crossings in the U.S., resulting in 807 severe injuries and 293 deaths. That same year, Virginia reported 32 train crossing accidents, leading to eight fatalities and 14 serious injuries. Fifteen percent of those incidents occurred in Richmond.
The dedicated car accident attorneys at Latham & Martin take the safety of our community seriously. Train crossing collisions present a grave risk, leading to devastating wrecks and severe injuries. These incidents are nearly always complex events requiring the intervention of agencies like the National Transportation Safety Board to conduct a thorough investigation and determine how and why the accident happened. Meet with a Richmond railroad crossing accident lawyer if you were recently injured in this type of collision.
Rail continues to be an essential means of moving materials across the country, and trains and tracks are everywhere in Virginia. According to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), a total of 3,037 miles of rail lines crisscross the state, with a staggering number of 9,049 highway-rail crossings in the Commonwealth. Far too many of these crossings pose serious safety risks to motorists crossing them.
In Richmond, the skewed crossing at North 7th, Valley Road, and Hospital Street is considered one of the most dangerous crossings in the United States, according to the FRA. It has been identified by the Virginia Department of Transportation as one of six “hot spots” in the Commonwealth, along with two county road crossings in Petersburg at Lincoln Street and Grimes Road.
Richmond is also home to passenger rail lines as well. Main Street Station in downtown Richmond is an active Amtrak train station, providing access to its Northeast Regional Train. This line runs north to south from Richmond to DC, New York, Providence/Springfield and Boston, and east to west to Norfolk/Newport News and Virginia Beach.
In addition, plans are currently underway for high-speed rail service from Main Street Station to metropolitan downtowns up and down the eastern corridor. Plans have already been approved for a high-speed passenger rail line from Richmond to Raleigh, and a northbound high-speed line is currently in the works.
Accidents at hazardous railroad crossings often involve complex liability issues, so contact a Richmond lawyer after a wreck.
State law places considerable emphasis on safety at train crossings. Some of the primary regulations include the following:
A Richmond railroad crossing collision lawyer could help you work toward holding all negligent parties accountable for their actions.
Train crossing collisions are catastrophic and can result in the following types of wrecks and injuries:
A railroad crossing accident lawyer in Richmond could work closely with you build a strong case for total compensation.
If you or a loved one has been affected by a train crossing collision, our attorneys are here to guide you through the legal process. Whether your claim lies with the Virginia Department of Transportation or transportation companies like CSX or Norfolk Southern, our lawyers are dedicated to holding the proper parties accountable to you for the harm you’ve suffered due to their negligence. Contact a Richmond railroad crossing accident lawyer today for a comprehensive evaluation of your case. Your call is free, and there’s no fee until after we are successful in recovering compensation for you.