Montana Train Derails, Multiple Injured

Authorities say at least three people were killed and many others injured after a train fell from the tracks in the small north-central Montana community of Joplin.

The train, which departed Seattle for Chicago, had about 150 passengers and 17 crew members on board at the time of the train accident. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident. An NTSB spokesperson said several of the train’s cars were off the track

Train Derailment Injuries

“Everyone in our party is okay. Unsure (of) the status of everyone on the train,” Amtrak passenger Megan Vandervest said on Twitter. “We’re currently waiting to be bussed away from the scene.”

Officials said at least three people were killed in the accident and seven others were seriously injured aboard the Amtrak Empire Builder. Of the train’s 10 passenger cars, eight tipped over.

What To Know About The Montana Train Derailment

Several passengers were rushed to Benefis Health System hospital in Great Falls, Montana while two others were taken to Logan Health hospital in Kalispell, Montana. Passengers took to twitter to thank the rural Montana community for their compassion.

“The locals have been so amazing and accommodating,” passenger Jacob Cordeiro said on Twitter. “They provided us with food, drinks, and wonderful hospitality. Nothing like it when the best comes together after a tragedy.”

Jacob Cordeiro was traveling with his father to Seattle to celebrate his graduation from college.

“I was in one of the front cars and we got badly jostled, thrown from one side of the train to the other,” Cordeiro told MSNBC. “I’m a pretty big guy and it picked me up from my chair and threw me into one wall and then threw me into the other wall.”

Railroad safety experts say there are several factors that must be investigated in Montana:

• A Faulty Rail Switch may have played a role in this accident. Accident scene photos show the derailment happened near a rail switch, which splits the railway from a single track to a double track.
• Defects in the railway. Even a small defect can be disastrous for railways. A minor shift can cause a rail to become unstable, leading to a derailment.

A Railroad spokesperson told the Associated Press that the track where the accident happened was recently inspected last week.

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What Needs To Be Investigated?

An independent legal investigation can help confirm the cause of a train accident, and help determine who is liable for the injuries passengers and their families have suffered as a result.

Some of the critical pieces of evidence that must be examined include:

• Faulty Switches
• Train Engineer Work Logs
• Train Engineer Experience & Qualifications
• Missing or Faulty Safety Equipment
• Possible Defects in the Rail
• Speed
• And More…

The Barnes Firm’s best train accident lawyers say train track conditions are historically a common cause of train accidents, and most of the track Amtrak uses for the Empire Builder line is owned by freight railroads, so they depend on those companies for track maintenance. However, every aspect must be completely analyzed to help passengers recover the best results possible.

If you or a loved one have been hurt in a train derailment, it’s critical to call a legal team with experience conducting these investigations.

Choosing The Right Law Firm
Picking the right law firm for your train accident case is critical. At The Barnes Firm, our team of injury lawyers have decades of combined experience fighting for passengers involved in disastrous train accidents.

Our team will fully investigate an accident to help determine exactly what happened and who is liable for your injuries. In many cases, you may be owed compensation for medical bills, lost time at work, transportation costs, pain and suffering, and more.

Our national train accident lawyers are here to help 24/7. Call us now for a FREE case evaluation at (800) 800-00

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Richard Barnes – President of The Barnes Firm

Richard Barnes: “As President of The Barnes Firm, I have dedicated my career to achieving justice in hundreds of cases for the victims of injuries caused through the fault of others. Additionally, I have been honored to have been elected Best Lawyer and a Super Lawyer”

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