Ever since trains came into being, they have been an all-too-frequent cause of injury to those riding on them, working on them, and even just going near them. Before he was elected as our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln frequently represented railroads in cases resulting from the injuries and damage they caused. Even today, they cause injuries on a regular basis, and we represent people who were injured in a number of railroad scenarios:

• Injuries suffered by passengers - Railroads are considered common carriers for their passengers, which means that they are required to exercise the highest degree of care to assure the safety of their passengers from the time that they are getting on the train until they have reached a place of safety after getting off the train.
  (Please note that for cases involving the CTA, passengers injured while riding the el must comply with the special CTA notice requirements - see our section on bus accidents for details).
• Rail crossing accidents - Railroads have an obligation to maintain crossings in a safe condition and trains are required to give warning by horn or whistle as they approach a crossing. Collisions between cars or pedestrians and moving trains often have disastrous results. Many times these accidents are due to dangerous conduct on the part of the railroad which must be carefully investigated.
• Injured railroad employees - Working for the railroad is a demanding, hazardous duty. Railroad employees for the most part are not covered by the state Worker's Compensation Act, but are instead covered by a special federal law called the Federal Employers' Liability Act, or FELA. See our section on FELA for more information.
• Rail yard accidents - Many times people, especially children, are injured as a result of going onto railroad property because the dangers present there are not always readily appreciated. Railroads defend these cases aggressively, treating the injured people as trespassers. Aggressive investigation of these accidents can assure that railroads are held up to the standards the law requires of them.

If you or a loved one were injured in a train accident or at a rail crossing, or if you are an injured employee of a railroad, you may be entitled to fair compensation. Contact Illinois accident lawyer Barry Doyle for your free legal consultation. No recovery, no fee.

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