If you have been in a Metro train or bus accident in Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, or the surrounding areas, it may be in your best interest to discuss your situation with a lawyer at a Metro train accident law firm Maryland commuters can rely on. If you were injured while on WMATA property, you may find it helpful to discuss your rights with someone at a personal injury law firm that has experience in defending victims of personal injuries that occurred on someone else’s property and those that occured because of someone else’s negligence.
When someone is injured because of someone else’s negligence, the person or party that caused the injury may be liable to the injured person for expenses that are related to their injury. When someone dies as a result of this, their surviving family members may be entitled to compensation for expenses related to their loved one’s death.
What is WMATA?
The Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority was created by the governments of Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC as an overseer for their combined rapid light rail transit service called the Metro and the fixed-route bus service known as Metrobus.
Almost 1 million people ride the Metro and Metrobuses every day. Many people rely on these modes of transportation as their primary way of getting to and from, and around the DC metropolitan area for school, work, errands, social and community activities and obligations, pleasure and sightseeing. Unfortunately, many of these people complain about problems with WMATA and their services because of safety and unreliability.
If you or someone you love has encountered problems related to WMATA that led to injuries, you may find it beneficial to enlist the help of a Metro train accident law firm Maryland residents recommend.
Metro Accident Injuries and Causes
Injuries that occur because of the Metro, Metrobus or on WMATA property can be anywhere from minor to catastrophic, sometimes even deadly. Injuries can happen to one person or it can be a bigger event, such as a train wreck, bus accident, or toxic fumes or smoke, that causes injuries to 100s of people.
Because there are many different ways that people can be injured on WMATA property or because of an accident involving a Metro train or Metrobus, there are many different kinds of injuries that the WMATA may be liable for. The following are some of common causes of WMATA related accidents:
– Collisions between trains
– Derailments of trains
– Metro operator errors
– Metro speeds too high
– Collisions between buses and other vehicles, pedestrians, and/or objects
– Metrobus operator errors
– Metrobus speeds that are inappropriate for particular situations (going too fast
or too slow)
– Faulty trains and buses
– Faulty equipment
– WMATA employee errors
– Improperly switched train lines
– Poorly maintained stations and waiting areas
– Violent attacks that could have been prevented if there had been adequate
security in stations, on trains and buses
– Poorly lit stations, waiting areas, trains and buses
– Poorly maintained walkways
– Poorly maintained stairs
– Inadequate safety measures such as handrails, poles, bars and straps
– Faulty elevators
– Falling objects
– Poorly marked hazards and insufficient warning signs
The above are some of the common reasons people get injured on the Metro, Metrobuses and on WMATA property. If someone has been injured because of one of the above, or a WMATA related injury not mentioned here, he or she may be entitled to compensation for their injury. If someone has died because of this, his or her remaining family members may be entitled to compensation.
For help in determining whether or not you will benefit from the help of a Metro train accident law firm Maryland is lucky to call one of its own, contact Cohen & Cohen for a free case evaluation.
