Conductor on crashed Amtrak train files suit

 Posted on May 27, 2015 in Catastrophic Injuries

Many California residents have been watching the latest developments from the Amtrak crash near Philadelphia with a great amount of interest. Now one of the conductors who had been at work on the train when it crashed and suffered tremendous injuries has chosen to file a suit against Amtrak, alleging negligence.

The man had been taking a break when the train derailed and crashed. The force of the collision broke the man's back, neck and both shoulders. The injured man was then forced to extricate himself from the debris. Although there were many Amtrak employees on the train, and at least one other has already filed a lawsuit against the rail company, he is the employee believed to have suffered the most severe injuries.

There is no clear consensus at the moment as to what caused the train to crash. The conductor of the train received a concussion in the incident and does not appear to remember what caused the train to suddenly accelerate. Both the Philadelphia Police Department and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced their intention to thoroughly investigate the accident.

Although the Amtrak employees would likely have been eligible to file a claim for workers' compensation benefits, the circumstances surrounding this incident have caused at least the two employees to forgo the ordinary system and file suit against the company directly. Those who have suffered serious injuries in a similar accident may wish to speak to a personal injury attorney in order to determine the remedies that may be available for the recovery of damages.

Source: Reuters, "UPDATE 2-Conductor hurt in Philadelphia train derailment sues Amtrak," Barbara Goldberg, May 19, 2015