Washington DC Train Accident Lawyer

Passenger train accident claims in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are usually against Amtrak. Founded in 1971, Amtrak is the primary passenger rail service in America. While about 2/3’s of its passengers come from the 10 largest cities in the country, Amtrak’s headquarters is at Union Station here in Washington D.C. Making a claim against Amtrak, which is considered a quasi-governmental agency, requires a specific type of notice within a relatively short amount of time, in order to preserve the claim. Unfortunately, these types of cases aren’t uncommon. According to The Washington Post, from 2000-2014, there have been 447 derailments and 376 train-auto crashes. On average, this accounts to slightly over one Amtrak accident per week from 2000-2014. Grievously, according to The Washington Post, these accidents have led to 2,228 injuries and 224 deaths. Considering it takes the average freight train moving at 55 miles per hour a little over a mile to stop once the conductor applies the full emergency brakes, according to mnsafetycouncil.org, it isn’t completely surprising there’re so many accidents. None the less, these statistics can be unsettling and civil action must be taken in order for responsibility to be decreed.

It is in the injured party’s best interest to call to discuss the case with an experienced Personal Injury attorney to discuss possible options. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia attorney Roger Gelb and his firm have represented over 10,000 clients and have recovered in excess of $100,000,000.00 (one hundred millions dollars) since its founding in 1954. If you think you may have a case or have any questions, please contact us for a free consultation.

Common Types of Train Accidents

1. Train derailment
2. Trains striking other trains
3. Train striking a motor vehicle
4. Train striking a pedestrian
5. Passenger on board the train injured due to a sudden stop or excessive speed