An Amtrak train travelling on the Washington-Boston corridor derailed as it took a curve at over twice the permitted speed limit. All seven coaches of the train were derailed in the accident. At least seven people have died and more than 200 of the 243 people on the train including its engineer have been injured.
Severe Injuries
Many of the injured appear to have sustained severe injuries. Some had head injuries; others were bleeding from the nose, while x-rays revealed that some of the passengers who were thrown around by the force of the derailment have sustained spinal cord injuries. People and luggage fell on others, injuring pregnant women, office workers, as well as senior citizens.
Search for Survivors Continues
Authorities continue to search for survivors or victims as all the passengers in the Amtrak manifest have not yet been accounted for. This indicates that the toll from the accident might increase.
Investigations to Determine Cause of the Accident
The National Transportation Safety Board has started an inquiry to determine the cause of the accident. They have questioned the engineer of the train, who has said that he does not remember what happened immediately preceding the accident as he was rendered unconscious by it. The black box recovered from the site shows that the train approached the curve at 106 miles per hour and the engineer applied the brake and slowed it down to a speed of 102 miles per hour, still more than twice the permitted speed limit for a curve.
However, the NTSB officials refused to conclude that the engineer was to blame. They stressed that they have to check the condition of the brakes, the track, and other aspects before assigning blame.
NTSB officials also pointed out that this particular stretch of the track does not have a positive train control system that could have slowed down the train and prevented the derailment. While the law mandates that such systems be put in place by the end of 2015, analysts believe that train operators will not be able to do so. Amtrak trains are equipped with alarms and other safety systems to alert the engineer to a speeding train or other problems.
Legal Help to Obtain Compensation
Whether you or a loved one has been injured in the Philadelphia Amtrak derailment or in another accident, you need to immediately retain the services of a competent personal injury lawyer who can represent the injured and obtain the compensation due to you.
Accident injuries can be a financial drain since you have to pay medical expenses, incur loss of wages and income during the recovery period, and pay for help to perform routine tasks. In addition, sometimes, the injured person will be unable to resume their former occupation, even needing training and time to take up some other occupation. If a person is severely injured they might need to have their home modified to make it accessible in spite of their disabilities.
An experienced and knowledgeable personal injury attorney will be able to help the injured collect all the evidence, medical records, and bills to negotiate and obtain a fair financial compensation from the negligent party.
