Colorado Train Accident Lawyers

What Types of Train and Light Rail Accidents Cause Injuries in Colorado?

The most common types of train accidents include the following:

• Collisions with other trains
• Collisions with passenger vehicles
• Single-train accidents, including derailments, collisions with objects on the tracks, and sudden stops

Victims of train accidents can include transit and railroad workers, passengers riding or waiting for the train, pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicle occupants.

A train accident attorney at our Denver, Colorado, law firm can help victims from across the state and the country determine the cause of the accident.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Train and Light Rail Accidents?

The following acts and omissions can lead to train and light rail accidents:

• Train malfunctions
• Track, signal, and switch failures
• Objects or vehicles on tracks
• Errors by motor vehicle drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists
• Train operator errors

The cause of the crash determines whether the party is liable for any resulting injuries or fatalities.

Who May Be Responsible for a Train or Light Rail Accident?

The liability for train accidents depends on how the accident happened. Colorado law generally imposes liability on negligent parties for the injuries they cause. Negligence means that the party failed to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances. More specifically, a party is negligent if they unreasonably expose the injury victim to harm.

Here are some of the parties who might be liable for train or light rail accidents:

• Municipal train operators, such as the Regional Transportation District (RTD)
• Motor vehicle drivers
• Train manufacturers
• Train or rail maintenance contractors
• Road maintenance departments

Under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act, state and local government agencies, like RTD, are liable for operating and maintaining transit vehicles, including light rail trains.

However, government claims are subject to strict limitations, including a 182-day deadline to give notice to the governmental agency after discovering the injury and caps on damage awards. The damage caps are adjusted for inflation every four years.

If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a government-operated train, it’s wise to get a free consultation with a qualified Colorado train accident attorney to discuss your next steps.

What if a Train or Light Rail Accident Occurs at a Railroad or Transit Crossing?

Highway-rail grade crossings (intersections where the railroad and road are at the same level) are the second-most common location for train accidents. Mishaps at these locations can result from many factors.

A train might hit road users when the crossing has missing or non-functional warning signs. Alternatively, train passengers may suffer injuries when a driver negligently drives onto the tracks despite seeing and hearing warnings.

When these crashes occur, a Colorado train accident attorney can investigate to determine the cause. Injury victims often have options for seeking compensation, whether the critical event was caused by negligence in the design, maintenance, or vehicle operation.

Can Poor Track Maintenance or Faulty Equipment Cause a Train or Light Rail Accident?

Accidents can also result from defective or worn trains, tracks, sensors, and switches. Worn tracks and train wheels can lead to derailment. Defective switches can put two trains on a collision course.

The liability for these crashes may fall on the train operator. However, not all operators maintain their tracks and trains. Some outsource maintenance to third parties.

Moreover, some equipment failures result from manufacturing defects. In these cases, the manufacturer may be liable for the resulting injuries.

The skilled personal injury lawyers at Bachus & Schanker can analyze your accident to identify potential product liability claims against train or track manufacturers.

What Injuries Can Result From a Train or Light Rail Accident?

Train accidents can cause massive damage and severe injuries. The speed and size of a train can destroy motor vehicles in collisions. Even in single-train accidents, train passengers can be thrown into seats, walls, and other passengers.

Some common injuries from minor train accidents include:

• Cuts and bruises
• Bone fractures
• Muscle strains and joint sprains
• Concussions

Severe crashes can produce catastrophic injuries, such as amputations, brain damage, and spinal cord injuries. These injuries can result in permanent disabilities or even death.

Your Colorado train accident attorney will assess your injury-related losses and explain the compensation you may be entitled to seek.

Can Passengers, Pedestrians, and Drivers All File a Train or Light Rail Accident Claim?

Anyone injured in a train or light rail accident may have a legal claim against those who caused their injuries. To prove negligence, your train and light rail accident lawyer must prove that the other party owed you a duty of care and that your accident resulted from a breach of that duty.

In particular, train operators, including operators of municipal light rail and freight trains, must take care to reasonably protect passengers and any road users they encounter. An operator breaches that duty of care by exposing these parties to an unreasonable risk of injury or death.

What Compensation May Be Available After a Train or Light Rail Accident?

Compensation can cover both economic and non-economic losses.

Economic losses include all financial impacts of an accident, such as medical costs, out-of-pocket expenses, lost income, and diminished future earnings. Your Colorado train accident attorney will validate these losses using financial records, including medical bills, bank statements, and pay stubs.

Non-economic losses cover the human cost of your injuries. Examples include pain, emotional distress, and mental suffering. There’s no fixed measure of these losses. Instead, jurors use their common sense to arrive at a fair amount. Attorneys prove these losses using testimony about how the victim’s injuries have impaired their quality of life.

Are Train and Light Rail Accident Claims Different From Other Personal Injury Cases?

Train and light rail accident claims follow the same legal principles as other personal injury cases. Your attorney will gather evidence showing that another party, such as a train operator or maintenance provider, acted negligently. They’ll also collect records to corroborate the losses you incurred as a result of your accident.

However, train accidents may differ in one respect: They often raise issues of governmental liability that might not arise in other personal injury claims. Notice requirements, in particular, can trip up claimants. As such, train accident victims should consult a lawyer promptly to avoid missing any deadlines.

How Can Bachus & Schanker Help With a Train or Light Rail Accident Claim?

Train or railroad accident law can be complicated. For that reason, it’s important to retain a lawyer prepared to help you through the process of determining what really happened and who is responsible.

After an accident has occurred, a train accident attorney at our experienced firm will work as quickly as possible to preserve the wreckage, interview witnesses, evaluate liability, identify jurisdictional issues, and protect you and your family’s rights during interviews with authorities and insurance representatives.

Bachus & Schanker will also act immediately to determine whether the railroad crossing was unreasonably dangerous and what safety procedures were in place at the time of the train accident.

You should contact us promptly to start the evidence-collection process and provide notice to any government agencies involved in your accident. The longer it takes to begin our investigation, the more difficult it is to locate and preserve the evidence and witnesses needed to reconstruct and prove what really happened.

Contact our train accident lawyers today.

Why Choose Our Train Accident Law Firm?

Bachus & Schanker is led by top-rated train accident attorneys recognized among the best in Colorado. With decades of experience and thousands of cases handled within Colorado and nationwide, our team brings a proven track record of results to every case. We have also represented clients in accident cases involving railroad negligence and public transit incidents across Colorado and nationwide.

At our firm, hands-on case management and personalized attention are central to how cases are handled. Attorneys remain directly involved throughout the process, with a focus on responsiveness, attention to detail, and clear communication at every stage of the case.

Additionally, we can help you connect with the resources you need to heal and move forward. Our compassionate Victim’s Advocates team will update you about any criminal proceedings against those responsible for causing your train accident and ensure that you understand your rights.

The benefits of working with our legal team include the following:

• Train accident injury cases are taken on a contingency fee basis — no legal fees unless we win your case.
• Support from our Victim’s Advocates team.
• Personalized attention from attorneys who understand train accident law.
• Proven track record of maximizing settlements and verdicts for clients.
• Experience handling cases in Colorado and across the United States.

When you need experienced legal representation to handle complex railroad liability claims, choose Bachus & Schanker, recognized as some of the best train accident lawyers in Colorado.

Free Consultation — Colorado Train Accident Lawyers

Your case begins with a free consultation with our legal team. Short deadlines may apply, so don’t hesitate to contact us about your potential case. We are conveniently located at five Colorado locations near you in Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Aurora, and Englewood. Our lawyers are ready to serve you and fight for the compensation you deserve.

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