A California Train Accident Attorney Looks at Choosing Attor
What injury victims and family members should not do, however, is rush to hire the first attorney who’s website pops up when searching for information on a disaster such as the Chatsworth Metrolink train crash. Take your time, meet with a sampling of attorneys who handle such cases, and then hire the attorney you are most comfortable with and with whom you have the most confidence. While expensive offices can mean a measure of success on the part of the law firm, an attorney with the drive and energy to focus on your case can be worth more than a law firm full of attorneys in comfortable surroundings.
You needn’t be concerned that your case may be affected by new legislation now being considered to require positive train controls into effect that would automatically stop trains which are on a collision course.
The fact that such a system was not in place at the time of the accident and the fact that, as announced by Metrolink, that their engineer failed to see one or more red lights, will all undoubtedly be considered by and utilized in determining fault for this tragic train crash. If as has been reported that one of the train engineers was texting on a cell phone at or shortly before the time of the accident, this will also be a major piece of evidence in determining fault on the respective parties and in determining what entities pay what percentage of the settlement amounts.
Keep in mind that it is also a good idea to have an attorney that is not representing other claimants in the accident. This is to ensure that there is no conflict of interest and that your interests and not those of an attorney’s other clients, are the attorney’s first and foremost concern.
News notes – On October 2, 2008, Federal Regulators issued an emergency order banning the use of all cell phones and other electronic devices by rail workers in view of the determination that the commuter train engineer in the Metrolink accident was texting only seconds before the crash in September 2008 that took the lives of 25 people.
On October 16, 2008 President Bush signed the Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requiring Positive Train Control automated braking systems for Class 1 railroads and passenger railroads by the end of 2015.
