Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

A train accident in Illinois took the lives of two elderly women earlier this week. The two women had just dropped off a friend before their car slammed through the crossing gates near 167th Street and Central Avenue, according to the Chicago Tribune. The seven-car train plowed into the vehicle and pushed it along the tracks for several hundred feet. The lead car eventually derailed but remained upright. The train was traveling at speeds of up to 96kph when the incident occurred.

There were 89 people aboard the train at the time of the accident. Seven were taken to various local hospitals with minor injuries. A number of passengers credited the driver with keeping the entire train from derailing. According to Metra officials, the track was bent as a result of the accident. It will have to undergo repairs before train services can resume. National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Keith Holloway says that federal officials have already been notified of the accident and are currently investigating the cause.

As we recently reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, Illinois is one of 10 states that has been ordered by the federal government to develop additional safety measures to reduce the number of fatal accidents that occur at railroad crossings. Neglecting to develop these new safety measures can result in a loss of funding.

Since 2006, Illinois has witnessed nearly 600 grade-crossing accidents involving trains, vehicles and/or pedestrians. These accidents have resulted in nearly 100 deaths. These statistics land Illinois at second place for the highest number of rail-crossing accidents in the nation.

In our state, roughly a quarter of all fatal train accidents have occurred at crossings with gates. About 75 percent of fatal train accents happened at crossings that have other types of traffic control devices, like signs and flashing lights.

Follow these safety tips to help prevent a collision at a railroad crossing:

-Never drive around gates that have been lowered. Not only is it illegal, but it can be deadly.

-Never race a train to the crossing.

-Only go through a crossing if you're sure you can safely cross the entire track.

-If your vehicle gets stuck on the tracks at a crossing, call your local law enforcement agency for assistance. You should only try to restart if you can post lookouts to warn of approaching trains.

-Be on the lookout for a second train when crossing multiple tracks.

-You should always expect a train on the track. Trains do not follow set schedules.

-Never ignore safety devices like lights, gates and bells.

-Only cross tracks at designated roadway crossings.

The http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/"target="_blank">Federal Highway Administration reports that there were nearly 2,000 incidents at public highway-rail crossings in the United States in 2009. These incidents resulted in nearly 250 deaths and more than 700 injuries. About 75 percent of these incidents happened during daytime hours.

Continue reading "Illinois Train Accident Claims the Lives of Two Elderly Women" »

Investigators are searching for answers in the aftermath of a deadly train accident between a tractor-trailer and a Chicago to California bound Amtrak that left 6 dead and many others injured.

According to the San Francisco Gate, the train vs. truck crash occurred at 11:30 a.m. on June 24th on a remote highway crossing 70 miles east of Reno, Nevada. The crossing gate and blinking safety lights were functioning and initiated 25 seconds before the train reached the crossing. Investigators are not sure why the truck driver failed to heed to the warnings in time even as other trucks in the convoy did.

The two other truck drivers and the train’s engineer looked on helplessly as the tractor trailer slammed into the double-decker Amtrak passenger train and burst into flames. The driver applied the brakes too late and skidded for the length of a football field before the collision. The resulting fire was intense enough to keep search teams from entering the wreckage until Saturday, after the two train cars burned out. Among the dead were the truck driver, the train’s conductor, and some of the estimated 195 passengers on board. An exact passenger estimate is difficult to ascertain as Amtrak does not record the amount of passengers that actually board the train.

The National Transportation Safety Board, or NTSB, is now investigating exactly what caused the seemingly avoidable crash. Investigators are focusing on the driver of the truck, including his medical and driving history, training, experience, toxicology report, and cell phone log. Investigators are currently baffled as to why the driver was unable to see the oncoming train on a clear day with functioning warnings. Reuters is reporting that the driver had received five traffic citations while driving commercial vehicles in the past three years. Three of those tickets were speeding citations received as he drove a school bus.

The driver worked for John Davis Trucking Co. in Battle Mountain, Nev., a family owned company that specializes in hauling ore from local mines. According to CNN, records indicate that the company has had 19 previous safety violations and had a fatal single-vehicle accident in May. One such citation was issued for operating a truck with tire treads so bare that it had to be taken off the road. Investigators are set to meet with representatives of the trucking company this week in an attempt to gain records on the driver and investigate the company itself.

Authorities are not entirely sure whether it was human error or a mechanical failure that caused the crash, and it may take the NTSB a year to pinpoint the probable cause. Lawyers are already investigating the incident to determine who is at fault so that they may seek compensation for the injured passengers and the devastated families who lost their loved ones in the tragic accident.

According to the Federal Railroad Administration’s online database, an average of 163 accidents have occurred at Illinois rail crossings since 2001, with a total of 270 fatalities over that period. In 2009, there were 1,896 incidents at public highway-rail crossings in the United States that resulted in 247 deaths. The entire FRA database may be explored by going to their website.

It is important to note that Illinois has many busy railway crossings and their safety mechanisms can malfunction. Drivers must not let their familiarity with crossings lull them into a false sense of security. Never attempt to cross a rail after the warning has sounded, even if the gate has not come down yet, and always keep watch for unexpected trains. Human error is an ever-present danger that must be respected.

Continue reading "Cause of deadly collision between Chicago to California Amtrak train and semi truck still unknown" »

A pair of Chicago car accidents occurred in the pre-dawn darkness Monday morning when two vehicles slammed into a pitch-black train blocking a crossing without lights, gates or other warning signals, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers have reported on the high risk motorists in Illinois face at the state's railroad crossings. As we reported earlier this year here on our Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, Chicago train accidents increased last year.

Seventy-six crashes with trains were reported during the first nine months of last year, claiming 17 lives and injuring dozens of others. We reported earlier this year on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog that Illinois is under federal mandate to improve safety at railroad crossings.

That federal smackdown came after nearly 100 people were killed at 855 railroad crossing accidents in Illinois between 2006 and 2008.

In this case, the black train was stopped across a dark and quiet intersection. Motorists reportedly had no warning when, shortly after 3 a.m., first one car, then a second car approaching from the opposite direction, slammed into the train. The crash occurred in the 9000 block of South Halsted Street. Four people were injured.

The Federal Railroad Administration said the automated gates and warnings were not functioning because of a buildup of road salt. However, nearby residents said the gates have been malfunctioning for weeks.

One victim, who was being treated at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, for injuries to his head, neck, back, shoulders and knee, said he plowed into the train at 35 mph in his Nissan Maxima. He was trying to pry his passenger door open and climb out when he heard the southbound car smash into the train on the other side.

Continue reading "Pair of Chicago car accidents caused by night train parked in crossing" »

Un par de accidentes de tráfico en Chicago ocurrieron en la oscuridad antes del amanecer, el lunes por la mañana cuando dos vehículos se estrellarón contra un tren negro bloqueando un cruce sin luces, puertas u otras señales de advertencia, informa el Chicago Tribune.

Nuestros abogados de heridas personales en Chicago han informado sobre los conductores de alto riesgo en el rostro de Illinois en los cruces de ferrocarril del estado. Como se informó a principios de este año aquí en nuestro blog de abogados de heridas personal, los accidentes de tren en Chicago aumentó el año pasado.

Setenta y seis accidentes con trenes fueron reportados durante los primeros nueve meses del año pasado, reclamando 17 vidas e hiriendo a docenas más. Hemos informado a principios de este año en nuestro blog de Abogados en Accidentes Automovilísticos en Chicago que Illinois esta bajo de mandato federal para mejorar la seguridad en los cruces de ferrocarril.

El Smackdown federal se produjo después de casi 100 personas murieron en 855 accidentes en el cruce de ferrocarril en Illinois entre 2006 y 2008.

En este caso, el tren negro se detuvo en una intersección oscuro y silencioso. Los conductores no tuvieron ninguna advertencia cuando, poco después de las 3am, en primer lugar un coche, a continuación, un segundo coche se acerca desde la dirección opuesta, se estrellarón contra el tren. El accidente ocurrió en la cuadra 9000 de South Halsted Street. Cuatro personas resultaron heridas.

La Administración Federal de Ferrocarriles dijo que las puertas automáticas y advertencias no estaban funcionando debido a una acumulación de sal del camino. Sin embargo, residentes de la zona dijieron que el mal funcionamiento de las puertas han han estado fallandosemanas.

Una de las víctimas, que estaba tratado en Christ Medical Center en Oak Lawn, por heridas en la cabeza, cuello, espalda, hombros y la rodilla, dijo que se estrelló contra el tren a 35 mph en su Nissan Maxima. Estaba tratando de abrir la puerta de pasajeros y salir cuando oyó el accidente de coche en el tren hacia el sur en el otro lado.

Si usted o un miembro de la familia han sido heridos en un accidente automovilístico en Chicago, contacte a Abels & Annes para una cita gratís y confidencial para hablar de sus derechos. Llame al (866) 99-Abels. No hay que pagar a menos que gane.

Chicago pedestrian accidents at railway crossing and Illinois train accidents both increased last year, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The Illinois Department of Transportation also reports the number of fatal Illinois traffic accidents increased, although there were fewer Chicago car accidents. There were 128 fatal accidents in Chicago last year, compared to 141 in 2009. Statewide figures have not yet been released, but 916 motorists were killed through Dec. 29 last year, compared to 911 who lost their lives in 2009.

The Illinois Commerce Commission reports 17 fatalities occurred at railroad crossings from January to November last year and 10 pedestrians were killed after being hit by trains. Those numbers reverse a recent decline in accidents involving trains in Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois.

Fifteen motorists were killed by trains in 2008, compared to 16 in 2007 and 18 in 2006. The 10 pedestrian fatalities is the most since 12 were killed in 2007.

Injury accidents involving trains also increased last year. Seventy-six were reported in the first nine months of the year, compared to 80 in all of 2009. More than 125 were reported in both 2007 and 2008.

In response, officials launched a public service announcement this week entitled "Where's the Best Man," which depicts a member of a wedding party who is killed trying to beat a train across the tracks.

Our Chicago injury lawyers reported earlier this year that Illinois is under federal mandate to improve railroad crossing safety. Between 2006 and 2008 a total of 98 people were killed in Chicago railroad crossing accidents -- 588 were killed across Illinois.

The state is one of 10 states that must submit a plan by August to address railroad crossing safety.

Continue reading "Chicago pedestrian accidents, car accidents, increase at railroad crossings in 2010" »

Chicago car accidents on the city's streets and roads accounted for more than one-third of the state's car accidents that involved serious injury and resulted in one-fifth of the state's traffic fatalities, according to 2009 crash statistics released by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

As we discussed on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog, the vast majority of car accidents in Illinois occur in urban areas, primarily in and around Chicago. A total of 243,189 accidents in urban areas injured 52,402 and killed 469. By comparison, 48,917 rural crashes injured 10,833 and killed 363.

But taking a look at the high number of serious and fatal accidents that occurred on the city's streets (as opposed to highways and freeways) may offer some clues for the defensive driver. A total of 117,683 crashes killed 166 people and injured more than 23,000.

The vast majority of accident statewide occurred in areas where there was no traffic control device. This typically means that someone pulled out of a parking lot or private drive and failed to yield the right of way. Or that someone turned in front of an oncoming vehicle or crossed the centerline. In fact, statistics show that rear-end collisions and turning accidents account for the vast majority of collisions.

No Controls: 156,286 accidents/451 fatalities
Stop Sign/Red Flasher: 30,634/83 fatalities
Traffic signal: 65,647 accidents/97 fatalities
Lane Use Control: 28,261 accidents/144 fatalities
RR Crossing gate: 435 accidents/2 fatalities
Other RR crossing device: 201 accidents/8 fatalities

A total of 63 Illinois railroad crossing accidents killed 11 motorists and injured 30.

Other types of accidents

Vehicle overturned: 4,558 accidents/65 fatalities
Pedestrians: 5,171 accidents/104 killed
Bicyclists: 3,246 accidents/19 fatalities
Animal: 19,558 accidents/ 6 fatalities
Fixed object: 35,257 accidents/285 fatalities
Parked: 34,653 accidents/13 fatalities
Rear-end: 80,076/72 fatalities
Head-on: 2,567/104 fatalities
Sideswipe-same direction: 23,323/16 fatalities
Sideswipe-opposite direction: 3,416/20 fatalities
Angle: 31,210/109 fatalities
Turning: 44,239: 78 fatalities

Continue reading "Rear-end collisions, turning crashes, most likely cause of Chicago car accidents" »

Illinois train crash attorneys have reportedly reached a $1.45 million settlement in regards to a 2005 Metra accident, according to the Chicago Tribune. The settlement is on behalf of a Joliet woman who was severely injured when a train derailed due to high speed. The victim sustained a fractured leg that will require knee replacement surgery.

The passenger was on a Rock Island line train that was headed to downtown Chicago from Joliet, Illinois. The train traveled through a 10 mile an hour crossing while going 69 mph, causing a derailment near 47th St.

Two passengers died in the crash and another 117 were injured. It is reportedly the only derailment in Metra history to cause fatalities.

The families of the victims that were killed in the accident, ages 22 and 38, settled back in November of 2008 for $11 million. Another victim that was seriously injured in the crash obtained a $29.5 million jury verdict in February of 2009 (the high verdict value was due in part to the cost of future medical treatment and round-the-clock care).

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation found that the cause of the accident was due to the engineer's failure to obey signals and slow the train. The NTSB also stated Metra that should have had some type of automatic system in place to override human error. The engineer that caused the accident was later fired by Metra.

The victim of the $1.45 million settlement was represented by attorney Dan Kotin, a partner at Corboy & Demetrio in Chicago.

One person was killed and two others seriously injured last Monday in a Chicago train accident on the South Side after a Metra Electric train struck a car, the Breaking News Center reported.

It is the latest in a series of high-profile train accidents plaguing Chicago. As we reported last month on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, malfunctioning gates are believed to be the cause of a fatal accident involving an Amtrak train. The train struck a vehicle at the crossing, killing a popular local dance instructor. In yet another incident, a train killed two Chicago pedestrians, including a small child.

In this case, the accident at 71st Street and Merrill Avenue occurred shortly before 10 p.m. Monday. A 30-year-old man was killed and two others were transported in serious-to-critical condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

NBC Chicago reported the 347 train hit a vehicle at the intersection and pushed it for a block, before the car rolled over. Two passengers managed to escape but could not free the trapped driver. Emergency crews cut the driver from the wreckage but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cause of the accident remains under investigation.

The train involved did stop. Train traffic was interrupted: The 10 p.m. inbound 93rd Street/South Chicago was canceled and the outbound trains departing Chicago for 93rd Street did not travel beyond Bryn Mawr Monday night.

Each year, approximately 80 people die in Illinois train accidents, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission. The vast majority of deadly crashes involve motorists and pedestrians who are injured or killed after being struck by trains at railroad crossings. The commission reports that motor vehicle accidents involving trains are 40 times more likely to be fatal.

UPDATE: There is now video showing that the gates were not down and the lights were not activated during last Friday's fatal Chicago area train crash, according to NBC News. The video is from the Amtrak train involved in the collision. It is also being reported that Canadian National crews had been working within a mile of the crash earlier that day and accidentally disabled the warning system and gates.

Witnesses to Friday's train accident that killed a dance instructor in Cook County are saying that the crossing gates and warning lights were not working when an Amtrak train came barreling through, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. One of the witnesses was an Assistant Cook County State's Attorney who works in the Old Orchard Courthouse.

The prosecutor stated that she was right in front of the SUV that was hit at the University Park railroad crossing, and that she was very close to being hit herself. She said there was no way for the SUV driver to know the train was coming and that the first warning of the danger was the train blowing its horn. She went on to say that no one was trying to go around a gate or beat the train, and that no one knew the train was there.

The tracks are reportedly owned by the Canadian National Railway Company who has sent investigators to the scene. A Will County sheriff's police spokesman stated that part of the problem is the tracks are too close to a stop sign at Governor's Highway, and that drivers can get caught on the tracks while approaching it.

Click here to read the entire story.

Suburban law enforcement are targeting railroad crossings for increased enforcement in the wake of a fatal Chicago pedestrian accident last month in North Chicago.

Rail road crossings in suburbs, including Elmhurst, Lombard and Des Plaines, are being monitored for gate-crashers and other violators, the Breaking News Center reported.

Ignoring a crossing signal or lowered gate is punishable by a $250 fine.

As we reported last month on Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, a woman and an infant were killed by a Metra train near North Chicago station.

A total of 16 non-suicide Illinois train accidents were reported last year. Commuters in a rush, kids playing on the tracks and motorists disregarding gates and warning lights are all causes of Chicago train accidents.

The Illinois Commerce Commission reports 80 collisions involving trains occurred last year -- down from the 129 collisions that were reported in 2008.

In last month's case, a woman carrying an infant in heavy fog was attempting to catch up to her family, which had already crossed the tracks; she tried to cross ahead of a train moving into the station.

Continue reading "Authorities targeting suburban railroad crossing to reduce Chicago train accidents" »

A woman and a 1-year-old girl were killed in a Chicago train accident on Saturday when a Metra train struck them as they crossed the tracks with family in suburban North Chicago, the Sun-Times reported.

The Metra Union Pacific North Line train No. 806 struck the woman carrying a baby just after 8 a.m. near the North Chicago station on Lakeside Drive, FOX News reported. The Lake County Coroner pronounced the women dead at the scene.

The infant was taken to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, where she was pronounced dead about 11:30 a.m.

The Daily Herald reported that the infant was the woman's niece.

The woman was crossing the tracks with the infant's father and another child, both of whom made it across the tracks before the train came.

The train had departed the Waukegan station at 8:50 a.m. and was due at the Great Lakes station shortly before 9 a.m. The train does not stop at the North Chicago station.

None of the passengers on the train were injured. They were transferred to another inbound train headed for Chicago.

The Chicago Tribune reported that the engineer waited until emergency crews arrived before exiting the cab, then met with authorities and the two conductors without speaking to anyone on the train.

The train remained parked for several hours as investigators combed the scene and took photographs.

A Chicago train accident at a crossing occurred Monday morning when the inbound Metra train on the Rock Island line hit a sport utility vehicle, causing long train and traffic delays, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported.

The No. 406 train originating in Joliet hit the SUV at 111th and Hale Avenue at about 7 a.m. Metra police were investigating.

While no one on the train was reported injured, Chicago train accidents at crossings can cause serious injury to motorists and can be caused by a number of factors, including malfunctioning crossing gates and warning lights.

The weekend began with another Chicago public transit accident -- The Chicago bus accident involved a Chicago Transit Authority bus and a school bus, according to the News Center.

The CTA bus with 50 passengers collided with the Stockton/Michigan school bus with half-a-dozen students aboard. The accident occurred at about 8 a.m. Friday at Oak Street and Michigan as the CTA bus was southbound on Michigan after it exited Lake Shore Drive.

The bus was trying to avoid other vehicles involved in a prior accident when it collided with the school bus.

Problems were also reported on the Kennedy Expressway, where a trio of Chicago car accidents included a rollover crash on the inbound Kennedy near Lawrence Avenue and a pair of crashes on the inbound Kennedy near Randolph Street downtown.

On Friday, a fatal semi accident involving a Chicago trucker occurred when the driver jackknifed into a van carrying disabled adults near Springfield, Ohio, claiming four lives, according to media reports.

Four Chicago Transit Authority employees have been placed on unpaid leave, the Chicago Tribune reported, after a weekend Chicago train accident sent at least 14 people to the hospital.

The Sun-Times reported that 14 of the train's 48 passengers were taken by ambulances to area hospitals.

Transit officials have blamed the Green Line train derailment on a missed "stop" signal, causing the northbound train to jump the tracks at the 59th Street junction shortly before noon on Saturday, December 12th.

"The investigation is still under way, but the preliminary indication is human error," a CTA spokesperson said. "The equipment -- signals, train and track -- all appeared to be working properly."

Both operators aboard the train, a supervisor overseeing the shuttle operation and a control-tower employee were removed from service pending the outcome of the investigation, the CTA reported.

The Sun-Times reported the same junction was the site of a Chicago train derailment last May, which also sent 14 people to the hospital. The National Transportation Safety Board has yet to conclude its investigation in that case, the preliminary finding was also operator error.

A pair of Chicago train accidents claimed two lives and injured several others Thursday afternoon.

A woman remained hospitalized Friday morning after her husband was killed in a Chicago car accident involving a train. Their car was struck by a Metra train in Bensenville at a railroad crossing near York Road and Main Street at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The woman was taken to Elmhust Memorial Hospital in serious but stable condition.

The Daily Herald reported the accident happened as the train struck the vehicle in a railroad crossing while approaching the Bensenville station. The vehicle was pushed nearly a quarter of a mile west of the crossing before coming to rest.

A half hour earlier, a pedestrian was killed in a Chicago train accident when she was struck in Lake Forest by an Amtrak train bound for Seattle, the Breaking News Center reported.

The 49-year-old Grayslake woman was apparently at a pedestrian crossing when hit by the Empire Builder train. Another person also was reported injured in the Chicago pedestrian accident.

Both trains were delayed for several hours as a result of the accidents. The Bensenville police, Metra police and the DuPage County Coroner's Office are investigating, according to the Sun-Times.

Authorities are investigating two Chicago subway accidents recently involving C.T.A. Blue Line trains.

A person died October 25th in the afternoon after being hit by the Blue Line train in the loop, according to WGNtv.

Police were conducting a death investigation shortly after 1 p.m. at the Monroe Street subway station. Northbound and southbound trains temporarily operated on a singled track between Grand Avenue station and the Racine Avenue station, bypassing Monroe.

On October 27th in the morning, a woman was rushed to the hospital after falling onto the tracks at about 8:45 a.m. in the Dearborn Street subway station. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in stable condition, according to The Sun-Times.

The woman was not struck by a train. Power was shut off to the line between the Lasalle and Clark stations but was restored after she got back to the platform, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported.

More than 700 people died in collisions with trains in 2007, according to the Federal Railway Administration, about 450 of those were pedestrians. Through the first nine months of 2009, 28 people have died in Illinois railway accidents.

Each year, there are an average of more than 140 train accidents in Illinois, resulting in 40 fatalities. Many of these fatalities involve pedestrians who fall onto the tracks or are struck by trains.

Authorities are investigating what caused a CTA train to take off with a baby stroller lodged in a door; the stroller was dragged along the platform until the little girl was flung onto the ground along the tracks.

The child's adult caregiver told police the train took off with the stroller caught in its doors, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Some Chicago train accidents have nothing to do with crashing trains. But, like in this instance, involve people who are injury embarking or disembarking, fall in a stairwell or on a platform or are injured in a Chicago car accident at a railroad crossing.

The child landed about 10 feet past the end of the platform and was found conscious, flat on her back amid other items knocked out of the stroller.

The Chicago Transit Authority driver has been suspended without pay pending a review. A union representative said such an occurrence would require both a mechanical malfunction and an operator error.

The driver told investigators the presence of something in the door should have bounced the door open, much like an elevator door.

The child was released from the hospital Tuesday night after being treated and kept overnight for observation, The Sun-Times reported.

There are fewer instances of trains blocking Chicago streets, Canadian National Railway told regulators Tuesday, but acknowledged more work needs to be done after its purchase of Chicago area-tracks from Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway.

The company said it had 11 instances of trains blocking Chicago-area streets for 10 minutes or longer in May, compared to 14 in April and 50 in March when it first acquired the tracks that arc westward around Chicago through Illinois and Indiana suburbs, according to a report Tuesday in the Journal of Commerce.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes monitor the local railway industry and its impact on motorists' safety. In addition to the deadly Rockford, IL, train crash last week, which was also operated by Canadian National Railway, instances of trains blocking area roads for an extended length of time can lead to car accidents.

Rear-end collisions are common. Motorists also can become understandably frustrated with the delay and attempt to drive around down-track gates, leading to the potential for accident and injury once the train begins moving again. And, when train blockages at intersections become a common occurrence, motorists can sometimes try to get through ahead of an oncoming train.

The Canadian railroad company also reported the duration of the delays is declining -- from several instances of roadway traffic being stalled for hours because of stopped trains in March, to two lengthy delays in April and one last month.

That train stretched more than a mile long with 106 loaded railcars and blocked a road at Joliet, Ill., for an hour, after stalling on an uphill climb as it headed out of town.

The company reports corrective action for each blockage in an attempt to pacify suburban complaints, where the acquisition is being contested in federal court. It also admitted the problem has been alleviated somewhat by a down economy and fewer freight loads and train trips.

Canadian National Railway also said it has made safety presentations at several area schools, and has posted 225 “no trespassing” signs on its railroad property from Gary, Ind., to West Chicago.

Continue reading "Fewer trains blocking area roads could reduce traffic accidents, Chicago car accident laywers say" »

In Rockford, Illinois a woman was killed Friday night after a Canadian National Railway Co. freight train derailed, according to the N.Y. Times. The victim was in a car waiting for the train to pass by. The rail cars were carrying ethanol, and when 18 cars derailed there was a large explosion. Hundreds of people from nearby homes had to be evacuated.

At one point 14 train cars were on fire, and 5 were still burning the next morning. The flames lasted though Saturday. 74 cars on the train were carrying ethanol.

Three other people at the scene were able to flee from their cars and survive, however they were severely burned. They were taken to area hospitals for treatment. The woman who died, Zoila Tellez of Rockford, also tried to flee, but only made it 20 feet and then collapsed.

The Chicago area train crash being investigated by the Federal Railroad Administration, Canadian National, and the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Associated Press has reported that the NTSB was taking a look at high water levels in the area of the crash as a possible cause. There was heavy rainfall in the Chicago area during the days prior to the derailment.

It has not been reported if the estate of the the deceased or the burn victims have retained personal injury lawyers to pursue a civil claim

In Romeoville, Illinois an elderly husband and wife were killed Thursday afternoon when their car was hit by an Amtrak train after they allegedly went around a descending crossing arm and started across the tracks, according to the Naperville Sun. The train accident occurred at New Avenue and Romeo Road around 1 pm.

The couple, Harry C. Hoffman, age 74 and his wife, Doreen J. Hofman, age 64 died at the scene. The damage to the vehicle was so bad that the police are not yet able to state who was driving the car. One occupant was ejected from the vehicle and the car was badly damaged and knocked several hundred feet down the tracks.

There are several issues related to the train crash being reported. First, while the gates descended there was still a green light for traffic, which police are speculating may have confused the driver. Further, witnesses are reporting that the car made a right turn on to the tracks as the gates were still descending, not after they were already down.

It is likely that Chicago train crash lawyers will soon be involved. The attorneys that handle the case will likely retain train safety experts to help them determine the causes of the accident.

One issue that I am curious about is the the fact that the couple's car was hit while the gates were still on the way down, or had just gotten down, by a train traveling at a high speed through a congested suburban area. (Were the gates dropping too late? Was the train speeding?) Further, I would like to know more about the traffic lights and whether the crossing is confusing to drivers.

It is being reported that this deadly accident is not the first train vs. motor vehicle collision at this crossing.

Continue reading "Chicago bound Amtrak train hits and kills Joliet couple" »

Train service on the Metra Union Pacific North Line was delayed for over two hours on Thursday evening after a train hit a pedestrian on the North Side of Chicago, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. The accident occurred around 5 p.m. just South of the Rogers Park train station.

The train engineer on outbound train no. 339 reported the collision and then stopped the train. Emergency workers found the body near Ravenswood and Thome Avenue.

The man hit by the train appeared to be in his 20s and it has not been reported as to why he was on the tracks. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

In Chicago, Illinois a truck and a CTA train collided this past Sunday afternoon, according to MSNBC. The train accident occurred at 4648 N. Kedzie Avenue when a truck tried to get around the crossing gates while a CTA brown line train was pulling out of the Kedzie station. The train hit the back end of the truck, and it did not derail.

Service was delayed for an hour as workers moved the train back and got the truck off the tracks. Normal service was going again by 2 pm. The truck driver was ticketed for causing the collision.

While no injuries have been reported at this time, if people involved in the crash were injured, here's what could happen: The passengers on the train have a claim against the truck driver and the trucking company that caused the accident. Typically, trucks carry larger commercial insurance policies, so unless there were catastrophic injuries (and none were reported here) there should be enough insurance to cover the loss.

The CTA employees involved in the crash actually can make two claims. They have a workers' compensation claim, as they were injured on the job, and they would also have a 3rd party claim against the truck driver and truck company.

Finally, the truck driver has a case. Even though he was at fault, if injured, he has a work injury case. Work comp. is a no fault system for injured employees to make a recovery in the State of Illinois.

If you have been injured in a train accident, truck accident, or have been injured on the job, call Abels & Annes for a free consultation.

In Chicago, Illinois, a CTA employee is lucky to be alive after being electrocuted while working as a flagger on the elevated tracks near the Belmont platform. Kathy Cardenas, age 32, was electrocuted on July 24, 2008, after she made contact with the 3rd rail. Her left hand and arm, and her back side were badly burned. She was rushed to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for medical attention where she was hospitalized and underwent skin grafts.

Ms. Cardenas has retained Chicago accident lawyers from Abels & Annes, P.C. and Katz, Friedman, Eagle, Eisenstein, Johnson & Bareck, P.C. to jointly represent her in a workers' compensation claim against the Chicago Transit Authority.

In Chicago, Illinois it is now being reported that twenty-four people were injured today when a Chicago Transit Authority train derailed, this according to NBC News and several other news sources. The accident involved a Green Line train at a junction on the elevated tracks located at 319 E. Garfield Ave. on the South Side. At least two train cars reportedly derailed.

Train service was temporarily suspended in the area of the accident and shuttle buses are being used to transport passengers. The injured were taken to area hospitals for treatment with non-life-threatening injuries.

Click here for crash photo and full story.

In Chicago, Illinois ten people were injured today when a Chicago Transit Authority train derailed, according to WQAD.COM. The accident involved a Green Line train at a junction on the elevated tracks. At least two train cars reportedly derailed.

Train service is temporarily suspended in the area of the accident and shuttle buses are being used to transport passengers. The ten injured were taken to area hospitals for treatment.

Click here to read entire story.

In the Chicago Area suburb of Des Plaines, Illinois, a car driver was killed Thursday night by a Metra train, according to the Chicago Tribune. The car accident allegedly occurred when Robert Wells III of Des Plaines drove his vehicle around down crossing gates at Pearson and Minor Street and was hit by Union Pacific Northwest Train No. 645. A pedestrian was also hurt in the train accident when the car hit him after it spun away from the tracks and ended up on a sidewalk.

Ricky Collins, of Chicago, was the injured pedestrian. He was standing on the sidewalk waiting to cross the tracks when he was struck. He was taken to Advocate Lutheran General in Park Ridge, Illinois.

Wells was pronounced dead at Lutheran General shortly after the crash. No other injuries were reported.

Two Chicago area Metra trains hit a minivan on Monday evening in the western suburb of Hinsdale, Illinois after the driver got stuck on the tracks and left his vehicle. Franciszek Chudzik, 72, of Aurora, Illinois allegedly crossed two sets of tracks and tried to make a left turn onto a third set of tracks when his vehicle got stuck, according to TheDoings-Hinsdale.com.

Witnesses actually tried to move the van before an eastbound train hit it. People had to yell at the driver to get out of the van before it was struck. The driver then exited the vehicle, put his keys in his pocket and walked away. The minivan was also hit by a second train heading westbound. One witness stated that the van tuned into a fireball after it was hit. The minivan was practically obliterated by the impacts. Click here for Hinsdale, Illinois van vs. train crash photo.

Chudzik was arrested at the scene of the train / car crash and charged with DUI. He allegedly had a blood alcohol content of greater than .08. The police officers conducted sobriety tests at the scene.

David Abels & Associates, P.C. has been contacted by a west suburban resident who was on the westbound Metra train. He sustained headaches and neck injuries as a result of the Illinois train / car collision. He had no idea what caused the accident when he contacted our office. This same passenger was also on last week's Metra train that hit an automobile where the car had driven several hundred feet down the tracks. He was not injured in that accident.

A Chicago area resident was killed in a car vs. train collision on Tuesday when his pick up truck got stuck on ice at a train crossing in Gary, Indiana. He was hit by a South Shore Line commuter train, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The man killed has been identified as Charles Jones of Gary, Indiana. It has been reported that the gates at the crossing were down and Jones went around them to beat the train. The train crash occurred at U.S. Highway 12 and County Line Road at about 5:30 a.m. between the Portage/Ogden Dunes and Miller stations. The train was headed to downtown Chicago.

It has not been indicated if there were injured train passengers, or if there was any negligent conduct on the part of the train operator. The train was supposed to be very crowded and standing room only.

In Cook County, Illinois, accident lawyers have already filed a train accident lawsuit on behalf of a family that was on the Amtrak train that crashed into a freight train on the South Side last Friday, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The lawsuit was filed against Amtrak and the Norfolk Southern Freight Company.

John Hamstra and his family were headed to Chicago for a weekend of holiday shopping when the Chicago bound train, that was reportedly speeding, crashed into a freight train. Hamstra sustained a fractured shoulder and a concussion.

The lawsuit is alleging negligence against both train companies, and the personal injury lawyers for the plaintiffs will be seeking a protective order for all documents related to the accident.

The Amtrak train was allegedly going 25 miles in excess of the speed that track signals indicated was safe, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. 71 people, including several Amtrak employees, went to 12 area hospitals as a result of the crash near 52nd and Shields.

In Chicago, Illinois an Amtrak train has crashed into a freight train causing multiple injuries, according to the N.Y Times. The impact was strong enough to knock passenger seats off their hinges. There were 188 people on board at the time of the train crash, and those most seriously injured were near the front of the train.

The train was going from Chicago to Grand Rapids, Michigan. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. The engine of the Amtrak came to rest on top of the freight train. Hydraulic tools had to be used to remove people from the engine car.

Over a dozen ambulances came to the accident site, and emergency workers also set up near by in an elementary school where injuries were assessed. The passengers were divided into 3 groups based on severity of injuries.

One passenger believed the train was only traveling about 15 mph at the time of impact when he heard a loud noise and was lurched forward. The witness thought a lot of people were injured when train seats broke off their hinges.

Click here to read entire story.

In the Chicago area suburb of Geneva, Illinois a pedestrian has been struck by a Metra train on the Union Pacific West Line railroad tracks around 5:30 p.m., according to the Daily Herald. The pedestrian, who has not been identified, died in the train accident. The occurrence took place near the Fox River. The Geneva Police and Fire Departments were on the scene, but there has not been any indication yet as to what caused the accident.

The Federal Railroad Administration reports that train related accidents in Illinois declined in 2006, but statistics for 2007 are not yet available.