Railroad Accident Lawyers

The U.S. plays host to thousands of railway accidents each year.

The Federal Railroad Administration reports over the last four years, America's railroad crossings have been the scenes of nearly 22,000 railway wrecks. In Ohio alone, 137 people have been injured and 36 people have died as a result of run-ins with locomotives.

In some cases, reckless drivers disregard warning signs and attempt to outrun an oncoming train and in others, people trespass along a railroad right-of-way and become victims. But there are cases in which railroad crossings were improperly marked or vegetation obscured an otherwise effective warning signal. Some railroad crossings are poorly lit or even completely unlit, and in some cases, human error is to blame for tragedy on the rails.

Whatever their causes, railway wrecks carry devastating results for their victims, their families, loved ones and the community at large. If you or someone you care about has been involved in a railroad accident and is suffering as a result, seek competent and informed legal help with the railroad accident lawyers at Elk & Elk.

Our railroad accident attorneys and their support staff have decades of experience handling railroad wrecks. Railroad accident cases are often extremely complex and require the care and attention of a highly trained group of professionals to determine fault and secure justice for the victims. With our resources, Elk & Elk is able to employ the leading experts from around the world in railroad accident reconstruction, health care, economics and railroad regulation.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to a railroad accident, let Elk & Elk prove to you how our rock-solid combination of experience, resources and determination can win you the compensation you deserve and ensure that justice prevails. Just call our toll-free legal consultation hotline at 1-800-ELK-OHIO or fill out our no-cost, obligation-free online case evaluation form.

Did You Know

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (49 U.S.C. 103, Section 3(e) (1)).  The purpose of FRA is to: promulgate and enforce rail safety regulations; administer railroad assistance programs; conduct research and development in support of improved railroad safety and national rail transportation policy; provide for the rehabilitation of Northeast Corridor rail passenger service; and consolidate government support of rail

transportation activities. (Source: Federal Railroad Administration) In 2006, the latest year that data are available, the freight railroad industry produced over 1.77 trillion ton-miles that generated revenue of $54 billion. (Source: Federal Railroad Administration)

Seven major railroad systems accounted for 93 percent of the industry's total revenue even though the rail industry is composed of over 550 carriers. (Source: Federal Railroad Administration)

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (better known as Amtrak) is a for-profit corporation that operates intercity passenger rail services in 46 States and the District of Columbia, in addition to serving as a contractor in various capacities for several commuter rail agencies. (Source: Federal Railroad Administration)

Amtrak was created by Congress in the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 and incorporated in the District of Columbia in 1971, assuming the common carrier obligations of the private railroads (which found passenger service to be generally unprofitable) in exchange for the right to priority access of their tracks for incremental cost. (Source: Federal railroad Administration) During FY 2007 (Oct. 2006-Sept. 2007),

Amtrak welcomed aboard more than 25.8 million passengers, representing the fifth straight fiscal year of record ridership when comparing the same routes. An average of more than 70,000 passengers ride on up to 300 Amtrak trains per day. (Source: Amtrak)

Amtrak operates a nationwide rail network, serving more than 500 destinations in 46 states on 21,000 miles of routes, with nearly 19,000 employees. (Source: Amtrak) A motorist is almost 20 times more likely to die in a crash involving a train than in a collision involving another motor vehicle. (Source: Operation Lifesaver)

Three out of four railroad grade crossing crashes occur within 25 miles of a motorist's home.  Fifty percent of all crashes occur within five miles of home. (Source: Operation Lifesaver)

In 2007, there were 2,728 highway-rail collisions in the U.S. resulting in 986 injuries and 339 fatalities. (Source: Federal Railroad Administration)