Metro Accidents in Upper Marlboro can injure large numbers of people riding on this type of public transportation. These subway accidents also can cause fatalities. Injury attorneys cannot reverse what has happened, but they can help injured people and the families of those who were killed obtain financial compensation that pays for all related expenses and helps the survivors move forward.
Sometimes, those payments are essential. For instance, when a parent is left with three young children and the main income provider is gone, being compensated for that financial loss is important for the family’s well-being. Compensation also should be paid for loss of parental guidance from the person who is no longer there.
The Worst Metro Accident
Public transportation systems are generally safe. Metro Accidents in Upper Marlboro and the greater D.C. areas are rare, but when they happen, the accidents can be catastrophic. A 2009 accident killed nine people and injured dozens of others. The collision occurred when one train hit another from behind. The wreckage constituted a true disaster. It was the worst accident in the history of this particular transport system.
Complicating Factors
Cases like this tend to be extremely complicated. Investigators must figure out exactly what happened and who was responsible. Sometimes, a combination of people or entities is held legally responsible for the accident.
For instance, authorities may place legal blame on the transport company in addition to an intoxicated operator, expecting the company to have more stringent safety measures in place. Clients of organizations such as Jaklitsch Law Group rely on their legal defense team to acquire settlements or court awards from those deemed responsible.
Legal Responsibility
After the 2009 accident, authorities blamed faulty track circuits and not the train operator. Those circuits should stop a train from reaching an area of track where another train is situated. They admonished the Transit Authority for not keeping the system safe for all the passengers and workers who ride on it daily and never imagine there will be an accident. Authorities stated that failure to test equipment properly caused the accident, implying that a collision was inevitable at some point. The company admitted responsibility.