Last Updated: October 7, 2024
In the bustling Dallas–Fort Worth area, mass transit serves as a lifeline for thousands of residents daily as they commute, shop, and travel for a host of other reasons. Nonetheless, the personal injury attorneys of Rochelle McCullough, LLP know all too well that mass transit is not without risks. Mass transit accidents can lead to serious or catastrophic injuries and, when they do, strong legal representation is essential to recover damages to cover your losses.
Types of Mass Transit Accidents
Mass transit accidents vary in nature and impact. Although far less common than car accidents, mass transit accidents have the potential to seriously harm large numbers of people simultaneously. Let’s take a look at the various kinds of mass transit accidents and their causes.
Bus Accidents
Bus accidents are typically the result of:
- Collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians, or stationary objects
- Rollovers, especially at high speed and/or on sharp turns
- Mechanical failures due to nearly constant use
Trains and Subways
Train accidents on railroads or subways usually take the form of:
- Derailments, due to track obstructions, signal failures or mechanical defects, grade crossing collisions, or a washout of the tracks
- Collisions with cars (at crossings), or with other trains or debris on the tracks
- Platform incidents or falls onto tracks during boarding or disembarking
How Negligence Causes Mass Transit Accidents
While some mass transit accidents are unavoidable, most are traceable to negligence of one kind or another. Our personal injury lawyers are well-practiced in holding negligent parties responsible for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and all other costs related to injuries suffered in mass transit accidents. Below are descriptions of various kinds of negligence that can cause mass transit accidents:
Driver Mistakes
Whether due to distraction, drug or alcohol impairment, fatigue, or poor judgment, driver error is a leading cause of mass transit accidents. Bus drivers and train operators and the agencies that employ them may both be liable if drivers fail to adhere to safety protocols and their misconduct leads to accidents with injuries.
Maintenance Failures
Failure to maintain and regularly inspect equipment, vehicles, roads, tracks, signals, and/or platforms often causes accidents or contributes to their severity in which case maintenance crews and the mass transit agency may be held responsible.
Inadequate Training
Operators and maintenance personnel must receive proper training to perform their duties safely. Inadequate training can result in errors that lead to accidents in which case the employing mass transit agency is at fault.
Failure to Update Safety Protocols
Transit authorities have a responsibility to implement and enforce current safety policies. Failure to address known hazards or to update safety protocols can result in preventable accidents for which mass transit agencies are liable.
Determining Liability for Mass Transit Accidents
When you become our client, Rochelle McCullough’s experienced legal team will investigate the mass transit accident carefully to identify the responsible parties so we can help you file the appropriate claim against one of the following:
- Public transit agency, such as the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system
- Contractors and subcontractors used for vehicle maintenance and infrastructure repairs
- Vehicle operators who have violated safety regulations by speeding, driving while impaired, or otherwise behaving recklessly
- Manufacturers of defective parts of vehicles or equipment used in mass transit
It is possible that the claim our lawyers help you file will target more than one defendant.
Why You Need One of Our Skilled Mass Transit Attorneys
At Rochelle McCullough, our legal team has experience with mass transit personal injury claims in Texas, so we are familiar with the steps that have to be taken to bring you the damages you need to restart your life. Once you contact us, we will begin:
- Investigating all accident reports, vehicles, and infrastructure conditions, as well as maintenance and inspections records
- Identifying and interviewing witnesses
- Consulting with experts in fields such as transportation safety, engineering, or accident reconstruction who will be able to support your claim
- Negotiating with opposing parties to obtain an out-of-court settlement
- Litigating your case aggressively if necessary to recover maximum compensation
You can also depend on our capable attorneys to deal with any and all regulatory and compliance considerations that may pertain in mass transit cases, making sure that claims are properly filed and procedural requirements are met.
Worth Noting
You should be aware that public transit authorities often have specific protections and procedures as a result of their governmental status. However, this does not mean they are immune to liability.
Tort claims against government entities are governed by the Texas Tort Claims Act, which outlines the conditions under which a governmental entity can be sued. Because our attorneys have a clear understanding of these legal nuances, we are well-prepared to fight for your rights even when the defendant is a public government agency.
Contact Our Dallas-Fort Worth Mass Transit Accident Lawyers
If you have been seriously injured in a mass transit accident, you are no doubt overwhelmed by the legal and logistical issues involved in recovering damages, especially while coping with the associated physical, emotional, and financial trauma. Contact our experienced attorneys today. Don’t worry — Rochelle McCullough’s caring, mass transit attorneys will take care of everything. You can count on us to provide you with ongoing support as we fight hard to bring you every dollar you deserve.