Switch to ADA Accessible Website
Orlando Criminal Lawyer

Amtrak Hits Vehicle in Florida & Kills Family Inside

shutterstock_224970232

In late November, a woman and her two children were struck and killed by an Amtrak passenger train here in Florida, which was traveling from Miami to New York City. All three victims were in the vehicle and died upon impact. According to reports, the victims were going camping when the car was struck by the train near the Corbett Wildlife Area.

The accident was likely due to the fact that the railroad crossing had no gate and the tracks were about 25 yards from the turn off the highway. While there were railroad markers and a yield sign, brush had overgrown shielding the signs from visibility for drivers entering the area; indicating that there could be a claim for negligence.

Amtrak’s History of Injuries, Wrongful Death, & Litigation

Of course, Amtrak has its history of placing people in danger: Passengers and their survivors won a $265 million court settlement after the 2015 Philadelphia derailment that ended with eight people dead and hundreds injured. As a result, Amtrak quietly added a clause to its ticket purchases in 2019 which forces anyone who rides the train and is injured or killed to go into arbitration instead of before a judge or jury.

Still, that doesn’t apply to those who are not riding the train and who are injured through no fault of their own. Of course, in this case, there would have had to have been some negligence on Amtrak’s part. It is arguable that whoever is responsible for ensuring that the railroad markers and yield sign are visible for drivers entering the area could be sued for negligence in this case, and an argument could be made that the railroad crossing had a gate.

Litigants have successfully brought wrongful death claims against train companies and their crews for negligence, intentional conduct for maintaining inadequate warning devices at the railroad crossing, failure to clear the right of way of vegetation and other obstructions, and similar claims. Typically, defendants will raise contributory negligence as a defense, along with other claims, such as negligence per se for failing to yield the right-of-way and even federal preemption in response to plaintiffs’ claims of inadequate warning devices.

If You’ve Lost a Loved One in Florida Due to Negligence, Our Wrongful Death Attorneys Can Help

If you have lost a loved one due to a company or city’s negligent or intentional act, the Orlando wrongful death attorneys at the Baez Law Firm can fight for your right to compensation. We’ve worked on countless wrongful death cases in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and throughout Florida, and we are experienced in obtaining justice in these cases. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation and find out more.

 

Resource:

foxnews.com/us/florida-car-amtrak-crash-fatalities

politico.com/news/2019/11/08/amtrak-crash-sue-068175

https://www.baezlawfirm.com/florida-plastic-surgery-clinic-becomes-epicenter-of-wrongful-death-incidents/

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Miami

Miami Office

1200 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1410
Miami, FL 33131
Office: 305-999-5100
Fax: 305-999-5111
Orlando

Orlando Office

250 N Orange Ave, Suite 750
Orlando, FL 32801
Office: 407-705-2626
Fax: 407-705-2625

Email Us

Fields Marked * Are required

DISCLAIMER: Completing and submitting this form or otherwise merely contacting The Baez Law Firm or any individual at the firm will not establish an attorney/client relationship. Our firm cannot represent you until we determine that there would be no conflict of interest and that we are otherwise able to accept representation of your case. Please do not send any information or documents until a formal attorney/client relationship has been established through an interview with an attorney and you have been given authorization in the form of an engagement letter with The Baez Law Firm. Any information or documents sent via this form or otherwise prior to your receipt of an engagement letter will not be treated as confidences, secrets, or protected information of any nature. Submitting information regarding your potential case will not bar The Baez Law Firm from representing or continuing to represent a person or entity whose interest are adverse to your in condition with your case.

protected by reCAPTCHA Privacy - Terms
Please review the highlighted fields. They are required.
DISCLAIMER: This website contains information about The Baez Law Firm that includes testimonial statements from persons who are familiar with the firm's services. The testimonials shown are not necessarily representative of every person's experience with us. Testimonials from every client are not provided. As no two situations or persons are identical, the facts and circumstances of your situation may differ from those for which testimonials are shown. This website also includes information about some of the past results that we have obtained for our clients. Not all results are provided, and the results shown are not necessarily representative of all results obtained by us. No two situation are exactly alike; every person's situation is unique and the outcome for each person depends on the individual facts.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
MileMark Media - Practice Growth Solutions

© 2015 - 2024 Baez Law Firm. All rights reserved.
This law firm website and legal marketing are managed by MileMark Media.

Contact Form Tab Contact Form Tab