After a week of work, the last thing on your mind during your Friday evening commute is how you will be getting to work Monday morning. Most people, and especially those who ride commuter trains, are using the time to inwardly celebrate the weekend as they think of the plans they have for their days off. For many people, the evening ritual was rudely interrupted by a serious train accident on Friday, May 17, 2013.
According to CNN, two trains collided, one a Metro-North southbound train and the other a Metro-North northbound train. The accident occurred during the evening commute and resulted in serious injuries to more than 70 passengers.
Investigators are still trying to determine just what went wrong. It appears that one train partially derailed before colliding with the other. Foul play has been ruled out, and construction debris has been identified as a potential cause. However, there is no overriding evidence of the precise cause at this point.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said the damage was “absolutely staggering,” when he surveyed the destruction the following weekend. The wreckage was spread over an area of approximately 200 yards.
“Ribbons of the sides of cars are torn away like ribbons of cloth,” said Blumenthal. “Tons of metal tossed around like toy things. The insides of cars are shattered.”
Though none of the cars flipped during the accident, many were heavily damaged, with holes where doors once were and deep scrape marks down the sides of the trains.
Investigators say they will be looking at the brakes of both trains, their speeds, the wheel and track conditions and more. They are also investigating the actions of the workers aboard the trains.
Both trains were traveling upwards of 70 mph when the accident occurred.
As of Monday, May 20, 2013, three of the 70 injured passengers were still in local hospitals, one who was in critical condition and two others who were stable.
Thousands of people commute into the cities every single day without an incident. And that’s how it should be. You shouldn’t have to worry every time you set foot on a train. Regardless of how rare accidents like this are, they do happen. When they happen, you must be prepared to fight for the compensation you are due.
New Jersey and New York Public Transport Accident Lawyers
Whether you ride a bus or a train, when you are hurt in a serious accident that you had no control over, you deserve justice. The accident lawyers of Ginarte may be able to help. Contact our offices for a free consultation today by calling (888) GINARTE now.