Because of the extreme danger of working around trains, laws and regulations regarding railroad employees differ from those of most other workplaces. Railroad worker injuries are often catastrophic and permanent, and safety standards are high in railyards. When an accident occurs in Connecticut or elsewhere, it often makes headlines and involves painstaking investigation to determine the root cause and prevent such accidents from recurring. A recent accident in another state resulted in passenger and railroad worker injuries.

The accident occurred in a railyard where out-of-service subway trains turn around to return to service. One out-of-service train was waiting on the tracks to return to service when it was struck from behind by another train. The out-of-service train lurched forward, causing some of its cars to derail and sideswipe another train that was on a parallel track ready to go back in service.

A number of questions arise from the accident. For example, it is unclear why there were passengers on the out-of-service train. Two of those passengers were injured. The most important question is why the approaching train – whose operator is in critical condition — did not stop before hitting the waiting train. The investigation into these questions may take considerable time to complete.

If it is determined that the accident occurred because of some safety violation or equipment malfunction, the preservation of evidence will be crucial. Since railroad worker injuries can be complex and the laws surrounding them can be confusing, injured workers in Connecticut benefit from having the advice and guidance of an attorney who focuses on claims arising from railroad injuries. Such experience could well ensure the best possible outcome for the circumstances.

Source: U.S. News & World Report, “Subway Crash in Railyard Injured 4 Near Philadelphia“, Feb. 21, 2017