Public transportation is designed to make the lives of Missouri residents easier and facilitate efficient movement from place to place. Despite the convenience and environmental benefits of shared transportation, however, public transportation also has its risks. Railway accidents, bus accidents and other related hazards can result in severe injury to passengers and others in many different kinds of situations.
A MetroLink train in Missouri was recently involved in an accident. The incident occurred at a station at the University of Missouri in St. Louis and critically injured a woman. According to reports, a woman on the tracks was hit by the train at approximately 5:30pm. The investigation of the accident by the St. Louis County Police is ongoing. The woman was taken to a medical center by air.
There are many different ways that passengers, pedestrians or other drivers can be injured by mass transit vehicles. Bus drivers may be distracted or engage in reckless driving, which could cause a collision with pedestrians, bicyclists or other motorists or cause passengers aboard the bus to fall and become injured. Similar risks exist on trains, in addition to the hazard of being hit by a train while standing on a platform or after falling onto the tracks.
Fortunately, victims of mass transit accidents often have the ability to pursue a lawsuit against the party responsible for their injuries. In many cases, the responsible party is the driver. However, other parties can be held liable, as well. These may include the bus or train company and other third parties. The source of the liability may be negligence or recklessness, mechanical defects, failure to properly supervise or train drivers, etc.
By conducting a thorough investigation, identifying all of the potentially liable parties, and quantifying the damages accurately, plaintiffs who were injured in mass transit accidents have the best chance of success. The compensation received from these lawsuits can go a long way toward covering medical costs, paying for long-term treatment and rehabilitation, and replacing lost income.
Source: STLtoday.com, “Woman struck by MetroLink train at UMSL station,” Valerie Schremp Hahn, May 5, 2014