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Metrolink Commuter Train Hits Tractor Trailer

Posted on behalf of Arnold Law Firm in
california train accident lawyers A commuter train bound for Los Angeles hit a tractor trailer stopped on the tracks during rush hour on Tuesday morning. The accident injured more than 50 persons. The tractor trailer driver who was stopped on the tracks, got out of his vehicle and fled on foot. He was caught and taken into custody several miles from the crash site. The Oxnard City Fire Department spokesman Joe Garces provided details of the fiery and dangerous crash. The commuter train was a double-decker Metrolink and in the accident, three of the trains rail cars were overturned. An additional two rail cars were derailed from the tracks but managed to remain upright. Law enforcement officials have shared that the train was traveling at approximately 79 miles per hour. The train conductor was able to hit the emergency brakes but this was not enough to avoid the collision. The National Transportation Safety Board will be sending investigators to determine who was at fault in the accident. The accident was first reported by Reuters news outlets. Witnesses report that the crossing is a dangerous one in which the lights and guardrails appear too late to warn drivers that a car is coming. While there were no fatalities in the incident, 28 people were transported to six area hospitals. The injuries include head, neck, and back trauma. Additionally, multiple broken bones were reported. Emergency medical professionals treated 23 individuals on the scene and released them. Several of the individuals transported to hospitals, including the driver of the train are listed in critical condition. This is not the first Metrolink commuter train accident in California. In 2008, a Metrolink commuter train collided with a locomotive owned by Union Pacific. That accident, unlike today’s, killed 25 people and injured 135 persons. While that accident was blamed on the commuter trains engineer, today’s trucking accident seems to have been caused primarily by the driver of the tractor trailer. His arrest and initial attempt to flee the scene suggest that he may be held responsible for the accident.

Experienced Train Accident Lawyers

Experienced Sacramento truck accident attorneys are assisting injured persons with an evaluation of their legal rights. Accidents involving a truck and a train are very complex cases. With our resources on your side, you and your family can get justice.

Contact the Sacramento injury lawyers at Arnold Law Firm today by calling (916) 777-7777 or use the Free Case Evaluation form.

Settlement - $3,767,000

Truck Accident

A 20-year-old man who had been married for just 12 days left home on his way to work. He was driving on Pleasant Grove Road in Sutter County in the early morning when he came upon a slow-moving truck. As he pulled out to pass the truck, the truck driver turned left in front of him. The young man attempted to steer back into his lane but his vehicle struck an un-flagged piece of metal extending from the back of the truck. He died in the resulting crash.

Expert witnesses brought in by the Arnold Law Firm proved that the truck, owned and operated by a hauling firm, should never have been on the highway that morning. Specifically, the rear and side turn signals did not work and the rear-view mirror was in a poor state of adjustment at the time of the collision. As a result, the driver, who had failed to properly inspect the vehicle before setting out that morning, couldn’t see the young man’s vehicle as it attempted to pass.

The poor condition of the truck, its lack of maintenance and the manner in which it was operated were found to be substantial factors in causing the collision that killed the young man. The testimony also established that the man had been making a lawful pass at the lawful speed limit and acted reasonably when he attempted to avoid the collision.

The man’s 20-year-old widow was awarded $3,767,000.77, his parents were awarded $185,131 and the family was reimbursed $11,899 in funeral expenses. Though money is a poor substitute for a young man’s life, this verdict demonstrates that drivers who endanger the lives of others will be held accountable for their actions.