A commuter train derailed east of San Francisco. Officials say the derailment was caused by a mudslide. Experts say that it is hard to tell if the mudslide had already occurred when the train went through, or if it occurred as the train was passing through. Nine people on the commuter train suffered injuries, although none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The mudslide occurred because of heavy rains in the region. There was a great deal of flooding and mudslides throughout the area. The derailment occurred between Fremont and Sunol, on Niles Canyon Road.
Experts say that it is nothing short of miraculous that no one was very seriously injured in the accident. The first car of the train slid down a 40-foot embankment into Alameda Creek and was partially submerged. However, all of the passengers on board were able to walk off the train. Those who were injured were taken to local hospitals. There were 214 passengers on board at the time of the derailment.
The day after the derailment no trains were operating, causing traffic nightmares for commuters. These trains carry between 5,000 and 6,000 passengers a day. In another near miss, a reporter who was at the scene narrowly jumped out of the way of an out of control car.
The commuters on that train were extremely lucky they did not suffer serious injuries in the derailment. Not everyone is so lucky, however. Trains cause thousands of deaths every year and many more serious, sometimes catastrophic, injuries. Most of those deaths occur at crossings. In 2014, there were over 2,200 collisions between trains and automobiles at railroad crossings, which resulted in over 250 fatalities and almost 900 injuries.
It takes a train traveling at over 55 miles an hour one mile to stop. There are a number of causes of train accidents, but a problem with the lights and crossing arms at crossings is a huge cause of accidents. In many of these accidents, a vehicle may cross a train track without knowing that a train is on its way. The train cannot stop in time, which results in serious injuries and/or death. Some other common causes of train accidents include negligent actions by the driver, bad weather, passenger misbehavior, and faulty platform conditions.
If you are ever involved in a train accident, it is critical that you report your injuries immediately. You should also seek medical treatment. If possible, find out as much information as possible about the scene of the accident, so that an experienced attorney can help investigate the case to determine the cause of your injuries. Also, it’s important that you file an incident report with the railroad. If you file a report as well as seek medical care, that establishes the fact that you were injured and do have a potential claim.
If you have been injured in a train accident in the San Francisco area, you should speak with an attorney right away to protect your legal rights. Railroads have teams of attorneys who immediately work to deny compensation to accident victims. At Liberty Law, Micha Star Liberty and Seth I. Rosenberg believe that railroads should be held responsible for damages caused by their trains. Call the San Francisco personal injury attorneys at Liberty Law at 415-896-1000 or 510-896-1000. We work with clients throughout the Oakland-San Francisco area, including Hayward, Tracy, Fairfield, San Jose, Sacramento, Berkeley, and the surrounding areas. We will be happy to schedule a free consultation on your case. You pay us nothing until we obtain compensation for you. Call to learn more.
