Massive Head-On Train Collision Provides Reminder of Risk of Injury in MARTA Accidents
When passengers climb aboard passenger buses and trains to commute throughout Atlanta and the surrounding counties, they may experience a range of benefits, such as avoiding traffic, the cost of gas, carbon emission and even car accidents. Although forms of public transportation like the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) are a good option, the consequences can be devastating when a commuter train or bus accident occurs.
A massive commuter train derailment in Connecticut this weekend serves as a reminder of the potential carnage that may result in a commuter train crash. Two commuter trains collided during rush hour causing a massive disaster scene resulting in 72 people suffering injury that required medical attention. Along with the direct toll on the injury victims, it is anticipated that the collision will cost the region millions of dollars.
Although the precise cause of the massive commuter rail collision is not yet known, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the crash to determine the cause and assign fault. While not all light rail crashes and derailments are the product of negligence by the public entity that operates the transportation rail line, crashes by trains on a collision course usually do not occur without some form of negligence.
Those who were injured in this train crash may be faced with staggering medical bills and prolonged periods of disability from employment. While the rail accident victims may be able to obtain compensation for their injuries by pursuing a negligence claim, public transportation accident injury claims pose unique challenges. A personal injury claim against a public entity typically involves very specific special procedural and time requirements under tort claims act laws. Further, the process of pursuing a personal injury claim in a train or bus accident involves navigating and reviewing federal investigatory reports of government agencies that conduct mass transit accident investigations.
While it is common to assume that train and bus accidents caused by public transportation carriers almost never occur, approximately a thousand people per year die in train accidents alone. Further, there is a train derailment in the U.S. every ninety minutes. These train or bus accidents can be the result of inadequate maintenance, negligent operators, improper hiring or training and a multitude of other forms of negligence by public entities. In addition to these types of MARTA accidents, government agencies may be liable for accidents that occur in MARTA stations where escalators malfunction or inadequate security leads to violent assaults in MARTA stations.
Why Montlick & Associates?
The experienced Georgia personal injury law firm, Montlick and Associates, aggresively represents accident victims and their families from all communities throughout the state of Georgia and all over the Southeast.
For over 39 years, the attorneys at Montlick & Associates have been helping families throughout Georgia and the Southeast. Montlick & Associates concentrates its practice on personal injury law, providing caring and high quality legal representation. The firm is well recognized not only ifor ts legal work, but also for its extensive and unprecedented public service programs that fall under two main umbrellas: their initiatives to help families prevent injuries and their extensive efforts to support our troops. The firm was recently honored by the Georgia House of Representatives for its 30 years of service with the passing of House Resolution 394 recognizing Montlick & Associates for "the outstanding accomplishments of this distinguished firm," and “for providing efficient, effective and dedicated services to the citizens of Georgia." The firm was also named the Most Patriotic Business of 2011 by the Association of the United States Army in Atlanta for its efforts to support the troops, and its CEO David R. Montlick received a Patriotism Award in 2012 for the Southeast. To learn more about Montlick & Associates and their award-winning public service programs, please visit Montlick.com
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