Two sisters aged four and five were killed in the Iowa community of Batavia when the minivan they were travelling in was struck by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train. Tara Lewman, 25, was driving home with her three children when she stopped for lowered gates at a double track train crossing. Her view of the second set of tracks was blocked by a stationary train undergoing maintenance on the first set of tracks. As she crossed the second set, the freight train careened into her minivan, killing her daughters.
In the aftermath of a serious train crash, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) sends out a team to investigate the causes of the accident. If you or your loved ones have been injured in a train crash, you should get in touch with an experienced train accident attorney as soon as possible. A train accident attorney can help you:
- Begin an independent investigation. We can arrange an independent investigation of the site to ensure that vital evidence of negligence or other breaches of safety regulations are not missed in the FRA’s investigation. This is especially important for minor accidents, which the FRA may not investigate at all.
- Deal with insurance companies. It’s vital you speak to an experienced attorney before you discuss the accident with an insurance company. Insurers often go to great lengths and use an army of investigators and lawyers to reduce the amount of compensation they pay to those they are supposed to help. We use our experience dealing with insurance companies to make sure you get full compensation.
- File a negligence claim. If the railroad operator was at fault for the injuries you or your loved ones sustained, we can use our vast knowledge and experience with railroad laws to file a lawsuit on your behalf.
For advice on what to do in the immediate aftermath of a train crash, contact one of our nationwide train crash lawyers right away.
