Were you injured in an accident involving a train in Jacksonville, Florida? If so, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries, expenses, and emotional trauma.
The legal team at Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers will identify the liable parties and hold them accountable for your damages. Our Jacksonville train accident lawyers have over 69 years of combined experience helping personal injury victims recover favorable settlements and jury awards. We know how to pursue an accident case and get the compensation you deserve.
Contact our personal injury law firm online or call us at (904) 396-1100 to schedule a free consultation. You can discuss your train accident with an experienced Jacksonville personal injury lawyer and learn more about our legal services. We’re available 24/7 to take your call.
How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help After a Train Accident in Jacksonville, FL?
A train accident can result from many different scenarios. You may have been a passenger on a trail that derailed, or your vehicle may have been struck by a train while crossing railroad tracks. Regardless of how you were injured, a train accident case can involve complex regulations and multiple parties, making it especially important to get legal advice.
Our Jacksonville personal injury attorneys know how to negotiate with insurance companies and large corporations. We’ll level the playing field and ensure you get a fair outcome.
If you hire Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers for help after a train accident in Jacksonville, FL, you can expect us to:
- Launch a thorough investigation to determine how the railroad accident happened and who is responsible
- Keep track of any federal or state investigations into the accident
- Consult train accident experts and collect evidence to prove your claim and the value of your damages
- Negotiate on your behalf and protect you from lowball offers
- Represent you at trial in Duval County if we cannot reach a fair settlement that fully compensates you
Personal injury cases involving train accidents can become complicated very quickly. To ensure that you receive the compensation you need, get our team of attorneys on your side. Call our Jacksonville law office today to schedule a free initial consultation to learn more.
How Common Are Train Accidents in Florida?
While not as common as car accidents, crashes involving trains still do occur. The Federal Railroad Administration reported 2,188 highway-rail incidents at railroad crossings in 2022. They caused 274 fatalities and 777 injuries.
Florida ranked fourth in terms of states with the most train crossing collisions. The state had 117 accidents that caused 21 deaths and 51 injuries. The Sunshine State accounted for over 5% of the country’s train accidents in 2022.
What Causes Train Collisions in Jacksonville?
Many accidents involving trains result from someone’s negligence – meaning they could’ve been avoided if the at-fault party had exercised reasonable care.
Some potential causes of train accidents in and around Jacksonville include:
- Distracted train engineers
- Distracted driving, resulting in the failure to see an oncoming train
- Operating a train or driving under the influence
- Speeding or racing to beat a train
- Mechanical failure
- Failure to inspect the train or railroad tracks
- Failure to maintain the train or train tracks
- Inexperienced operators or drivers
- Failure to yield or stop at a train crossing
- Defective train parts or tracks
- Malfunctioning train signals or gates
- Violations of Florida traffic laws or the Federal Railroad Administration’s rules and regulations
It’s important to understand how the train crash happened so that we can determine who is liable for your damages. We’ll monitor ongoing investigations and gather our own evidence to strengthen your claim.
How Much Is My Jacksonville Train Accident Claim Worth?
Every train accident case presents a different set of facts, meaning each must be evaluated based on its individual merits.
When we’re assessing your case and calculating your damages, we’ll ask the following questions:
- What types of injuries did you sustain? How severe are they?
- Have you missed work? What is the value of your lost income?
- Do your injuries prevent you from earning a living in the future?
- What medical expenses have you incurred? Do you require ongoing treatment?
- Did you contribute in any way to the train accident?
- How has the train accident impacted your enjoyment of life? Are you able to care for yourself?
Of course, other factors may come into play depending on the facts of your claim. We can provide a better idea of what your train accident case is worth once we learn more about what happened and how it has affected your daily life.
What Types of Compensation Can I Pursue After a Train Accident in Jacksonville, FL?
Jacksonville train accident victims may be entitled to compensation for the financial, physical, and emotional impacts of the incident. That includes economic and non-economic losses.
Economic damages sustained due to a train collision may include:
- Past medical bills for ER visits, surgery, medical care, and more
- Future medical costs for things like rehabilitation, ongoing treatment, or physical therapy
- Lost wages and job benefits
- Diminished earning potential
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- The cost of repairing or replacing damaged property
Non-economic damages are your subjective losses and may include:
- Chronic pain
- Permanent disability or impairment
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Inconvenience
- Loss of quality of life
Our train accident lawyers in Jacksonville will identify and calculate all losses resulting from the collision. You may also be eligible for punitive damages. Florida courts award these damages to punish at-fault parties for intentional or grossly negligent behavior (such as if a train accident occurred because the operator was under the influence of alcohol).
How Do I Prove My Jacksonville Train Accident Case?
In most train accident cases, you’ll need to prove the following elements of negligence to be successful:
- The defendant owed you a legal duty of care – for example, a train operator must act cautiously to avoid harming others. In Florida, this duty is heightened because public transportation providers are considered common carriers.
- The defendant breached their duty of care by failing to act as a reasonable person in a similar situation would – such as by operating the train too fast for weather conditions.
- The defendant’s actions (or inactions) caused the accident.
- You sustained damages due to the defendant’s carelessness.
The following types of evidence can be helpful to prove a train accident claim:
- Accident reports
- Reports from local, state, and/or federal agencies
- Locomotive event recorder data (i.e., black box data)
- Medical records
- Train maintenance and inspection records
- Employment records
- Employee manuals and handbooks
- Surveillance footage, videos, and photos
- Reports from expert witnesses
- Eyewitness statements
- Evidence of past safety violations
It can take time and patience to build a solid train accident case. We can take on your legal battle and give you time to focus on your health.
Who Could Be Liable for a Train Crash in Jacksonville?
Florida law allows you to hold every party who contributes to a train accident liable for their portion of responsibility. That means multiple parties may be named as defendants in your case.
Potentially liable parties in a Jacksonville train accident lawsuit include:
- The train operators and engineers
- Train companies
- Train maintenance company
- Railroad maintenance and inspection companies
- Government entities
- Manufacturers of defective train components or railroad tracks
- Passengers on the train
- Negligent motorists, pedestrians, motorcyclists, or bicyclists
Our experienced train accident lawyers will determine every party who may share liability for your injuries.
Common Train Accident Injuries
Train accidents can result from various scenarios, from falling onboard to a catastrophic derailment. Accordingly, the types of injuries can range from minor to severe.
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers has helped clients who have suffered all types of injuries, including:
- Fractured and broken bones
- Burns
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Soft tissue injuries
- Nerve damage
- Chest injuries
- Internal organ damage and bleeding
- Eye injuries
- Amputations
Contact our Jacksonville train accident attorneys to discuss your railroad injuries and how we can help you pursue compensation for their effects.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Train Accident in Florida?
Florida law implements a statutory deadline, known as the statute of limitations, giving you limited time to pursue a legal claim. You generally have two years from the train accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the train crash was fatal, the deadline to file a wrongful death claim is two years from the date of death.
If your accident occurred prior to March 24, 2023, you may have four years to file your negligence claim.
However, there may be exceptions. It’s important to meet the statute of limitations, or the court will prevent you from pursuing your claim against the at-fault party. Contact our train accident attorneys in Jacksonville to preserve your rights.
Contact Our Jacksonville Train Accident Attorneys for a Free Case Assessment
If you were injured in a train accident in Jacksonville, FL, you deserve experienced legal representation to pursue compensation for your resulting losses. The team at Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers will put nearly seven decades of combined experience to work to get the outcome you deserve.
Contact our skilled Jacksonville train accident lawyers for a free case evaluation to discuss your rights. We’ll take on your case and allow you the time you need to recover from your injuries.
