Pre-Settlement Funding: Subway Accidents
Every day, people all around the world ride on subways as part of their daily lives. With cities taking advantage of subway systems to connect communities, it has become an easy way to get around. Many people rely on subways to commute to and from work, and they have come to rely on their speed and convenience. In high-traffic and bustling locations, for instance, subways are often the primary mode of transportation for many of the locals. What people don’t often expect or think of, however, is subway accidents. Alas, they do happen, and due to the speeds they travel at and other factors, passengers can easily become seriously hurt. In some cases, subway accidents are fatal.
Some of the most common causes of subway accidents include:
- Human negligence, such as operator negligence
- Improper subway operations, such as speeding and failure to comply with proper signaling
- Failure to follow rules
- Improper train handling, such as braking mistakes, which can result in derailment
- Track failures
- Track geometry issues
- Track buckles, which is when dips in temperature cause large steel portions of tracks to shrink and expand
Subway accidents happen more often than many of us realize, but not all of them are catastrophic enough to make headlines and go down in history. Luckily, many can learn from the mistakes that caused subway accidents in the past, and this information has been used to help evolve safer practices when operating subways. One notable subway accident was in 1902 in New York City and involved an express subway from White Plains, New York. The conductor missed important signals and as a result, crashed into another subway that was at a stop in the tunnel. This set the commuter trains ablaze, caused extensive injuries, and killed 15 individuals. This accident clearly demonstrates the importance of noticing and reacting to critical signals when operating a subway to avoid potential collisions. A more recent New York City subway accident in 1991 was the derailment of a subway as it approached Union Square. The subway, which was reported to be operating erratically as it approached the station, jumped the tracks and caused a horrific accident. The tragic derailment resulted in more than 175 injuries and five deaths. The subway operator was charged with five counts of manslaughter, as it was determined that he was operating the subway while intoxicated. In fact, he admitted that he actually fell asleep while operating the subway because he had been drinking all day. This blatant carelessness resulted in a tragedy that cost people their lives and inflicted serious pain on many others.
These accidents are just a couple of examples of the major accidents that became nationwide news, but there have been countless others. Even a seemingly minor accident that still causes some level of injury should not be dismissed, especially when the negligence of another individual is to blame. These types of accidents don’t just affect those on board, either. For example, people at subway stops can easily get hurt if an incoming subway crashes or derails near the station.
It has been reported that the rail industry continues to implement new measures and improve safety in order to help eliminate these types of accidents. This includes providing good equipment, implementing upgraded technologies, testing operations, and so on. And although these newer safety measures have helped the number of subway accidents decline, they sadly still occur.
If the negligence of another caused you to get injured in a subway accident, you may have the right to recover monetary compensation in a personal injury case. If you’ve already taken the next step toward pursuing a lawsuit, you are likely already working with a knowledgeable and skilled attorney, who will fight for your rights through every step of the way.
Waiting on a personal injury lawsuit to finalize can be nerve-wracking, as there may be some uncertainties, such as when your lawsuit will eventually be over and done with. Most plaintiffs are eager to get things over with by wrapping up everything as quickly as possible, which can give them the closure they need, while also providing the settlement money they are looking for. However, while it is completely understandable to want to finalize a lawsuit as soon as possible, it’s important to remember that you don’t want the process to be rushed. Your attorney is hard at work to ensure a fair settlement on your behalf, and this can sometimes take a while.
If you are looking to receive money sooner, pre-settlement funding is a great way to get the money you need upfront while your attorney works hard at finishing your case. It’s the solution that most plaintiffs are looking for, as it enables them to get the cash they need until the lawsuit finalizes. Contact USClaims today to learn more about how the pre-settlement funding process works and to find out if your case qualifies.
