Posted: February 24, 2015
The catastrophic Metro North Railroad accident in Westchester, NY earlier this month has underscored the lurking hazards of rail crossings throughout the nation. The crash claimed the lives of 6 passengers and seriously injured 15 others, at a grade crossing that isn’t even rated dangerous by the Federal Railroad Administration’s system that calculates the “accident prediction value” of train crossings.
This same algorithm, which factors in physical characteristics and recent crashes, has found a Bergen County rail crossing where Midland Avenue meets the New Jersey Transit tracks to be one of the country’s most perilous. In fact, accidents have been logged year after year at this dangerous intersection, which has been the site of at least 29 crashes since 1975 and has the dubious distinction of having the eighth highest probability of an accident in the whole country.
Railroad accident attorneys in NJ
In the aftermath of such tragedy, comprehensive investigations must be made to determine liability. Whether it stemmed from human error, faulty equipment, or poor maintenance — victims and their families need answers. The law firm of Eisbrouch Marsh offers the expertise to aggressively represent victims of train accidents, which regularly leave survivors with incapacitating injuries.
If you or someone you love has been harmed in a rail crossing incident, it’s in your best interest to speak with a New Jersey railroad accident attorney with the resources and experience to bring closure to your suffering, and hold negligent parties accountable. Damages obtained through litigation can help recover losses for past and future medical bills, lost income, future loss of earnings, emotional trauma, and pain and suffering.
NY Times visits the region’s dangerous rail crossings
Commuter trains barrel down at speeds approaching 80 mph, often through urban and densely populated areas. Awkward angles, stop lights and rush hour gridlock add to the recipe for disaster, as increasing numbers of motorists end up stuck on the tracks.
Reporters for the NY Times visited 10 crossings in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut that were rated the most likely sites for crashes according to the metric.
The most hazardous train crossings included:
- Elmwood Park – N.J. Transit Bergen County
- Brentwood – L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Brentwood – L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Central Islip – L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Ramsey – N.J. Transit Main Line
- Oceanside – L.I.R.R. Long Beach Branch
- Wyandanch – L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Bethpage – L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Hackensack – N.J. Transit Pascack Valley
- Hackensack – N.J. Transit Pascack Valley
Efforts are underway to reduce railroad accidents at dangerous intersections, but funding from the Federal Highway Administration is wholly inadequate. Just last year, New Jersey Transit took steps to improve vehicular and pedestrian safety by dropping train speed limits at crossings from 70 mph to 50 mph. There are also plans to put in additional advance warning lights at the Midland Avenue crossing, where a pedestrian was killed in 2000 and a cyclist was struck down in 2006.
Sound legal advice from veteran NJ attorneys
To learn more about your options for legal recourse and discuss your eligibility for a personal injury lawsuit in the wake of a train accident, please contact Eisbrouch Marsh today at 201-561-8366. Your first consultation is always free and we don’t collect any fees unless you win or settle your claim!
Resources
- New York Times, In New York Area, Points Where Train and Tragedy Are Likely to Intersect http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/13/nyregion/at-rail-crossings-in-new-york-area-a-constantly-lurking-danger.html?_r=1
- Reuters - Investigators gather recording devices at New York train crash site, http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/04/us-usa-newyork-train-idUSKBN0L801U20150204
