Fiery Nevada train accident leaves five dead, many questions
Investigations continue at a rural railroad crossing in northern Nevada that was the site of a deadly Nevada train accident on Friday. An Amtrak locomotive collided with a tractor trailer and caused a gruesome accident that killed the truck driver, the train conductor, and at least four passengers. Some 200 passengers are reportedly injured and a handful are still unaccounted for days after the accident.
Federal officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) say that there are some 100 locomotive accidents in the United States every year, and there have been 28 reported accident incidents and personal injuries at Nevada railroad crossings in the last ten years. Three of these accidents resulted in fatalities. Many such tragedies occur at unmarked crossings where passenger vehicles come upon the tracks without warning, but the site of the crash last week had no reported history of Nevada locomotive crashes.
As horrific as a tragedy like this is, untangling the legal issues involved can be just as ugly. These crashes often involve serious injuries that can carry massive medical expenses and re-victimize crash survivors by placing them in the middle of a high-stakes legal battle. Surviving family members of those killed in common carrier accidents must weigh the benefits of a Nevada wrongful death lawsuit against the pain of reliving the accident and placing a monetary value on an irreplaceable loved one. For experienced guidance during the dark days after a locomotive crash, contact our team of Nevada train accident lawyers for a free consultation.
