Florida’s Brightline Train is mostly beloved by Floridians. It provides fast service all over Florida and is set to expand to even more cities. However, it also has a dark past. It has been estimated that the Brightline is responsible for at least 50 fatalities since its creation and the Associated Press released a report which identified it as having the most fatalities per mile of any railway in the United States. The Brightline temporarily terminated service during the pandemic, and reopened just over a month ago in December. In that time, the Brightline train has been involved in a shocking five collisions, many of which involved serious injuries or fatalities. In fact, on the very first day that it reopened it was involved with a violent collision with a vehicle that contained a 71-year-old woman and her young grandchild. Luckily, both survived the accident.
Causes of Brightline Train Accidents
Railways, such as the Brightline, are common carriers, which means that legally they owe the highest standard of care to their passengers. This also means that in order to avoid liability they must demonstrate that they did everything that they could to avoid this sort of accident. While so far Brightline has not been found at-fault for any of the latest five accidents, it is hard to argue that they are doing everything they can to stop these accidents when they continue to happen at such a rapid rate. Brightline claims that these accidents occur because motorists ignore the stop signals at the railway crossing, believing that they can make it across before the train comes. However, the high-speed train which averages 79 miles per hour and can travel up to 100 miles per hour often sneaks up on people. Pedestrians and bicyclists also often falsely believe they can make it across the tracks in time only to find themselves face-to-face with an oncoming train. In some cases where pedestrians have been hit, noise-canceling headphones and the surprisingly quiet approach of the train have been cited as contributing factors. Some locals have stated that the Brightline train comes every 15 minutes, causing motorists to become impatient, and frequently results in them driving around the barrier and on to the tracks, where many vehicles have become stuck. In a recent accident, an SUV became stuck on the tracks and was impaled by the barrier.
Suing for Brightline Train Accidents Today
Suing a railway can be complicated, and differs from traditional personal injury lawsuits. Federal and state laws and regulations are important to assess in determining negligence, and a different timeline may have to be adhered to. If you believe you have a claim, it’s best to talk to a lawyer.
Schedule a Consultation with the Durham Law Group, P.C.
If you have suffered an injury due to the Brightline Train Accident today, through no fault of your own, the experienced Tampa personal injury lawyers at the Durham Law Group want to hear from you. We will assess the facts and circumstances in your case to determine whether Brightline was negligent, and if so, we will fight to get you the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to. Contact the Durham Law Group today to schedule a consultation.
Resource:
foxnews.com/us/florida-train-hits-car-gates
