Like many other forms of commercial transportation, trains are extremely large and travel at high speeds. Many trains are also carrying dangerous, toxic, or hazardous materials which may be released in the event of an accident. Regardless of the type of accident, injuries caused by trains can be severe. You need an experienced Indianapolis train accident attorney on your side to help you get the recovery you deserve for your injuries. Please call the attorneys of Hankey Marks & Crider today at (317) 634-8565 for help with your train accident lawsuit.
Do I Need an Attorney?
If you or a loved one was injured in a train accident, the injuries can be life-shattering. Due to the severity of the type of injuries that can result from train accidents, the medical bills can pile up. You should be able to focus on recovering from your injuries and getting your life back on track. The train company and its insurance company understand the difficult position you are put in because of the accident. Unfortunately, they will use this knowledge and the pressure of the situation to try to force you into an early settlement. Their experienced staff and defense attorneys will try to offer an unfair amount so that they can further their own financial interests.
You cannot go into this fight by yourself. You need an experienced attorney on your side that has dealt with train companies and insurance companies. With an experienced train accident attorney by your side, you will get the compensation you deserve, rather than an unfair settlement offer. At Hankey Marks & Crider, we have dealt with countless train companies and their deceptive insurance companies. If you or a loved one was injured in a train accident, and if you want the money you deserve, please call the train accident attorneys of Hankey Marks & Crider at (317) 634-8565.
Why Choose Hankey Marks & Crider?
At Hankey Marks & Crider, we have over 75 years of combined experience assisting the people of Indianapolis in getting the recovery they deserve for their injuries. We understand how serious your injuries can be if you were injured in a train accident. We are here not only to give you fierce legal representation, but we are here to help you and your family make progress through this tough time. With our representation, we will get justice from the negligent train company, and we will get you the compensation you deserve for your injuries sustained from the train accident.
Charles D. Hankey, the founding partner of Hankey Marks & Crider, has been practicing law in Indiana since 1973. He has helped countless individuals with their personal injury cases, and specifically, he has helped the victims of train accidents. For his hard work, he was awarded the title of “Top 100 Litigation Lawyers” in the State of Indiana for 2014 by the American Society of Legal Advocates. The other attorneys at Hankey Marks & Crider have learned from Mr. Hankey, and have extended his skill, compassion, and experience throughout Hankey Marks & Crider.
If you or a loved one has been injured because of a negligent train company, you need the skill, experience, and pedigree of Hankey Marks & Crider on your side. We understand how difficult train accident cases can be for the family involved. It is important to have a skilled attorney with caring staff on your side to help you through this tough time. If you want the money you deserve for your injuries, please call the train accident attorneys of Hankey Marks & Crider today at (317) 634-8565 for fierce legal representation.
Causes of Indianapolis Train Accidents
The train accident lawyers of Hankey Marks & Crider understand the potential risks posed by both passenger and freight trains. Any number of factors could cause a train to derail, lose control, or crash into other trains, vehicles, or pedestrians on or around the railroad. These factors include:
- Driver Error
- Improperly Maintained Tracks/Derailment
- Mechanical Defects or Malfunctions
- Employer Negligence / Liability
Whether it’s derailment, a crash with another train or vehicle, or a pedestrian injury near a railroad crossing, the accidents caused by train collisions can be severe. These giant machines are often unable to stop in time to avoid causing a severe impact with a smaller object. If you or a loved one has been injured from one of the many causes of a train accident, you are not alone. We can get you the compensation you deserve for your injury.
Indianapolis Railroad Crossing Accidents
Railroad crossings are particularly dangerous areas because they are the locations at which trains, other vehicles, and pedestrians regularly come into close contact with each other. To ensure safety, Indianapolis railroad crossings should be designed to provide maximum visibility, display appropriate warnings, and implement protective mechanisms to prevent people or vehicles from accidentally coming into the path of a moving train.
According to estimates by the National Transportation Safety Board, over 60% of all railroad crossing accidents occur at unprotected or under-protected crossing sites. Factors contributing to Indianapolis railroad crossing accidents include:
How Do I Show Action After a Train Accident?
Like most injury claims, recovering compensation for injuries sustained in a train accident can be a very complicated legal matter. It is especially difficult because the parties involved can be the train driver, the train company, and an insurance company. These parties are backed by experienced train accident defense attorneys, so it is crucial to have experience on your side to establish your case. To recover for the injuries you sustained from an accident caused by a train at railroad tracks, you must show the following:
- There was a duty owed
- The train driver, and/or the train company breached that duty
- The breach of that duty caused your injuries
These three factors form a very difficult standard to prove in the court of law. This is especially true given the defenses a train company may raise. For instance, the train company may try to argue that the railroad tracks at issue were located on private property, so the railroad, and therefore the railroad company, had no control over the accident. In addition, the train company may try to argue that you were negligent, as opposed to the train company.
One of the more common train negligence cases occurs when a train approaches a crossing at an excessive speed. Even though speed is an important factor in showing negligence, it is often not enough by itself. In fact, determining dangerous speed can be a difficult question that depends on the facts and circumstances. You need an experienced train accident attorney on your side to help determine the train’s negligent conduct. Call us today at (317) 634-8565 so you can get the recovery you deserve for the injuries you sustained.
Train Accident Statistics
According to data collected by the Federal Railroad Administration Office of Safety Analysis, in 2017, there were 66 train accidents in Indiana. In the United States in 2017, there were 1,623 accidents. There are about 700 railroads that currently operate in the United States, and these railroads account for about 150,000 miles of railroad track. Even though trains are a less prevalent means of transportation and delivery than they once were in early America, train accidents are still a common occurrence.
Contact Us
Train accidents can be life-altering. You should be given fair compensation from the train company for the injuries you sustained. If you or your loved ones have been injured by a train accident, derailment, or other railroad-related incident, call the Hankey Marks & Crider at (317) 634-8565 to speak with an experienced Indianapolis train accident lawyer today. You should focus on getting your life back on track while we take care of the rest.