Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Handling Personal Injury Claims in the Seattle Area and Throughout Washington Since 1995

My name is Chris Thayer and I am a personal injury attorney practicing in downtown Seattle. I handle personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death claims throughout the greater Seattle area, including Issaquah, Mercer Island and Kirkland.

I am here to help you.

Call for a free consultation (206) 340-2008

Compensation for Washington State Train Accident Injuries

Posted Friday, September 24, 2021 by Chris Thayer

Train accidents are relatively rare, but may not be as uncommon as you think. There are about 40 train accidents a year in Washington state, which boasts over 3,000 miles of active railroad tracks. However, nationally, a person or car is hit by a train every three hours. The vast majority of these accidents are collisions that take place between cars and trains at railway crossings. These accidents can occur due to defects or malfunctions with the railroad gate or signals, breaking problems with the train, speeding or negligent conduct by the driver, or motorist issues, such as their vehicle stalling out on the track, ignoring proper railroad signals, or getting caught on debris in the track.

*Railroad Accident Injuries *Although railroad accidents and train accidents are far less common than vehicle accidents, the consequences can be far more devastating and catastrophic. A single train derailment can result in thousands of injuries and deaths. In instances of train collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists, the chance of fatality is incredibly high. There is little chance of surviving an impact with a train. For this reason, these accidents must be taken seriously, and in order to deter them, railroad companies and their employees are held to a much higher standard of care than regular motorists or employees in other fields.

*Suing for Railroad Injuries or Wrongful Death *If you or a loved one have suffered serious injuries or even death as a result of a train or train company, you are likely wondering what options, if any, you have available to you. While each case must be assessed individually on the basis of its facts, the good news is that as noted above, train companies are held to an incredibly high standard of care. This means that the burden falls on the train company to establish that it and its employees did everything they reasonably should have to prevent the accident that resulted in your injury. On the other hand, if they cannot meet this burden, or you can demonstrate that they deviated from their required standard of care by acting negligently, then they will become liable for all harm that resulted due to their negligence or breach.

*How a Lawyer Can Help *Suing for railway accidents can be complicated. An experienced Washington personal injury attorney can review the specifics of your case to ensure that you have a claim and determine the best way forward. A lawyer can also ensure that your rights are protected and that you are not taken advantage of by receiving or accepting a lowball settlement offer. The biggest thing that a lawyer can do is give you the peace of mind of knowing that someone else is fighting for you while you can return your focus to moving forward in life.

*Talk to a Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer *Serving Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, Issaquah, and the greater Washington State area, Pivotal Law Group is ready to fight to ensure that you get the representation and compensation that you deserve. Contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at Pivotal Law Group today to schedule a consultation.