Los Angeles Metrolink Commuter Train Crash Lawyer, Attorney
Metrolink is a commuter train service in Los Angeles County that’s been gaining in popularity in recent months for many reasons. Obviously, rising fuel costs have led many to look for other options to get to and from their jobs. Additionally, perhaps no city or metropolitan area is more notorious for snarled, overcrowded freeways than Los Angeles, which is seen by many around the country as a ‘model’ for constant gridlock.
Ultimately, whatever the reason, people have been using services like Metrolink in order to escape the cost, time and stress involved with daily local freeway commutes. Most have seemingly enjoyed a level of satisfaction with this service, as it has eliminated the uncertainty of time to and from chosen destinations and removed the stress of sitting in traffic.
However, there is only one overriding reason as to why people choose not to use a service such as Metrolink, and that’s the potential for a crash. While train accidents in general around the United States are statistically quite rare, especially when compared to auto accidents, people generally only remember the train accidents that are covered by the media, and these crashes are often completely devastating in nature.
Unfortunately, this fear became a reality on Friday afternoon near Chatsworth, a community in Los Angeles County. A Metrolink train collided head-on with an oncoming freight train, and the results were nothing short of tragic, even when considering that the results are far from final in nature.
The Metrolink train was carrying 222 passengers, as Friday afternoon rush hour tends to be the busiest time for any sort of commute, whether it’s in a vehicle or in public transportation. Of those 222 passenters, nearly 75% of them were affected in some tangible, sometimes profound and undeserved way. 135 people were injured, and of those 135 injuries, 81 had to be rushed to nearby hospitals because of critical injuries. What’s most tragic is that 25 people were killed. Given the number of ‘critical’ injuries, the number of deaths could rise in the coming days.
Local, state and federal authorities are all working on an investigation, but as of this writing no definitive cause has been determined. Several theories of fault are beginning to circulate, but investigators have offered no timetable in terms of having a cause identified.
If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in this accident, or you were even involved in this situation but feel you were not injured, seek immediate medical help. Certain types of injuries that are commonly associated with collisions do not manifest themselves immediately in victims, and you owe it to yourself to make sure you have not been injured. You should also schedule a free initial consultation with an accident attorney as soon as possible, as you’ll need an understanding of your potential legal rights and options before deciding how to move forward.
