The big transportation companies that run and manage trains are responsible for what happens with those trains, even when it wasn't intended. Their employees are expected to be well-trained and their machinery is expected to be well-maintained. When someone in Florida is killed or seriously injured because of a train crash, it's a sure bet that someone will call in a train accident lawyer. Florida has averaged more than 40 train accidents every year for the past decade, and a train accident case can last for months—so train crash lawyers certainly stay busy!
Negligence
The number one factor in determining a transportation company's fault in a train accident is determining the existence and amount of negligence on part of the company's employees. Because the train system is a complex system and all of the parts have to work properly in order to prevent accidents, the negligence can be traced to one or more of dozens of people. It may be that the conductor simply fell asleep, or it may be that a station controller threw a switch incorrectly and sent the train down the wrong track. It might even be that someone in charge of inspecting the brakes didn't do their job correctly three months ago, leading to an accident today.
Loss
Once negligence is established and blame for the accident has been properly assigned, the next question is the question of loss. Because train accidents are mostly massive, dramatic affairs, losses are often significantly higher than in automobile accidents — and are also often spread out over a greater number of victims. Once negligence is proven, the amount of each loss — be it direct monetary losses like the destruction of a vehicle or the incurring of medical expenses or indirect losses like work-related disability or loss of consortium — can be established and the company can pay out appropriately. Train accident attorneys in Florida recommend that the moment you are involved in an accident with a train — no matter how minor it seems — you call 911. Then call your loved ones, then your insurance company, and then call a train accident attorney. The faster you make the call, the more likely you are to get the compensation you deserve.