Fatal Train Crash Kills Two Pedestrians at Elk Grove Boulevard Crossing
Two pedestrians in Elk Grove died in a train accident on November 19 at a local crossing. The deceased were identified as Duane Love, age 37, and Mariah Gonzales, age 25, by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office. The accident occurred at the train crossing located at Elk Grove Boulevard and Railroad Street at about 1:00 a.m.
Fatal Train Accident Occurred on Union Pacific Property
According to a spokesperson for the Elk Grove Police Department, the pair was on property belonging to the Union Pacific Railroad at the time the fatal accident occurred. Both police and Union Pacific agents responded to the call about the fatal accident. The Elk Grove accident investigation is being headed by the Union Pacific as well as local police to determine what happened.
How to Get Compensation After a Railroad Accident
There is a high rate of railroad accidents, and although pedestrians, drivers, and others may be responsible, the railway can also be negligent, leading to serious collisions and fatalities. Despite the company itself possibly being negligent, railways can blame pedestrians or drivers for these collisions even when it is the rail line itself that is at fault. Our experience in handling claims against railroads against pedestrians, motorists, and under the Federal Employees Liability Act (FELA) and other injury laws enables us to successfully handle claims in various capacities.
Accidents Caused by Railroad Company Negligence
Train accidents can be caused by a variety of factors that prove to be the fault of the railroad company, including:
- An unprotected railroad crossing
- Unmaintained or defective railroad crossings
- Lack of maintenance or defects in railroad tracks
- Train derailments
- Speeding or lack of warning upon the approach of a crossing by the engineer
- Working conditions that are unsafe
Filing a Compensation Claim Following a Wrongful Death
The family of someone who dies due to negligence may seek compensation. It does not ease the grief of the bereaved, but it can help them avoid the financial burden of end-of-life expenses and the loss of income the deceased provided.
Family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit if they lived with the deceased or were supported by him or her by at least 50 percent. As an alternative, the administrator of the estate may file a claim. However, only one claim is permitted. Compensation is available in the following areas:
- Burial and funeral costs can be recovered.
- Wages, pensions and other monies earned by the decedent until they would have reached the age of retirement are reimbursed.
- The loss of inheritance is recoverable in some cases.
- A loss of consortium between spouses is the termination of their private relationship and can be compensated.
- Guidance and nurturing from the deceased parent are lost and can be recovered by their children.
- Loss of help around the house is recoverable.
Sacramento Train Accident Lawyer
I am Ed Smith, and I’m a Sacramento train accident lawyer. In train collisions, multiple parties may be liable, including the railroad, track owner and manufacturer. If you lost a loved one or were injured, you may be able to file a claim for wrongful death or personal injury. Our injury lawyers can help you with your case by offering free and friendly advice when you call us at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. We can also be reached online.
You can see below how the injury lawyers in our firm have helped many people over the years recover fair compensation:
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Photo attribution: Image by Robert Owen-Wahl from Pixabay
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