According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, thousands of railroad crossing accidents occur every year. The results can be devastating, causing destruction on a large scale. The law requires railroad companies to have safety measures in place to keep the general public safe. This includes gates, lights, signals, signs, and more. When any of these things aren’t in place, it can be an accident waiting to happen.

Railroad crossing accidents can often be avoided by simply following the legally mandated precautions that the railroad companies must adhere to. But accidents are also frequently caused by negligence, lack of maintenance, and mechanical failure. The most common causes of railroad crossing accidents are:

• Derailed train
• Poor train operation (by conductor)
• Broken or damaged railroad gate
• Broken or damaged railroad crossing alarm / lights
• No warning signage
• Cluttered train track resulting in accident
• Neglect to sound horn when approaching railroad crossing (by conductor)

Railroad crossing accidents, due to their magnitude, often result in fatalities. In the event of a fatality, a family may be left responsible for covering extensive funeral costs and reconciling with grief and loss. In the event a person survives a railroad crossing accident, it is usually with severe, life-changing injuries that require extensive and expensive treatment. Even in the best case scenario, railroad crossing accidents often affect a car or tusk, destroying it instantly. Every outcome has terrible consequences and the victim should not be liable for the negligence or failure of a train.

Have you lost a loved one or have you or someone you know been injured in a railroad crossing accident? Don’t fight the situation alone. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Salter and Ferguson, LLC. today to discuss and schedule your case evaluation.