One person is dead following a Northbrook Amtrak crash involving a motor vehicle, as police investigate the cause of the fatal collision.
Vehicle Bursts into Flames
The Northbrook Amtrak crash occurred on the evening of February 10, 2022. On that date, the Amtrak Hiawatha 340 was on its way to Chicago from Milwaukee and traveling on Metra train tracks near the Deerfield station in the area of 400 Lake Cook Road in Northbrook, IL. At approximately 7:30 p.m., the train collided with a motor vehicle on the tracks.
The train reportedly dragged the vehicle for some distance before it came loose and burst into flames. The car was still on fire when first responders from the Northbrook Fire Department arrived at the scene of the collision. Medical personnel pronounced one person dead after firefighters extinguished the blaze.
Northbrook Amtrak Crash Under Investigation
It was not immediately clear how the car ended up on the tracks prior to the Northbrook Amtrak crash, though the vehicle may have come from a nearby Edens Expressway overpass. The Deerfield Police Department, the Metra Police Department, and the Canadian Pacific Police Service are investigating the incident.
According to initial reports, nobody on the train was hurt, though it is unknown whether any passengers have retained personal injury attorneys since the Northbrook Amtrak crash.
Train Accidents Common in the United States
Train accidents remain an ongoing concern in the United States. The National Transportation Safety Bureau finds that a train strikes a person, vehicle, or another object in this country every two hours.
Given the size of trains and the speeds at which they travel, the likelihood of injury or death is significant. According to the National Safety Council, there were 5,479 domestic railroad injuries and 757 fatalities in 2020 alone.
Justice for Train Accident Victims
The injuries that may result from a train accident can be devastating, sometimes requiring a lifetime of medical care at great expense. Unfortunately, train accident victims frequently encounter serious challenges when they try to seek financial recovery.
Train accidents can be complex, given the number of parties and the level of technology involved, so it can be difficult to establish exactly who or what is responsible for a collision. Depending upon the accident, the company operating the train, the entity maintaining the tracks, the train’s manufacturer, the driver of another vehicle, or some combination of these could be liable. Failure to identify and pursue all of the at-fault parties within the time allotted by law could forever bar an injured person from obtaining full and fair compensation.
If you have been hurt in a train accident and need help navigating the many obstacles you might face, consider doing what thousands of others have done before you and reach out to the personal injury attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers LLC.
GWC is one of the premier Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois, with over $2 billion recovered on behalf of clients. No other plaintiff firm in the state is more respected – or more feared – by its adversaries, both inside and outside of the courtroom. Our dedicated personal injury attorneys have the experience, the determination, the resources, and the reputation needed to get you and your family the justice you deserve.
Contact GWC today for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney. You may call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with one of our representatives at any time.
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