Less than a week after a deadly collision between an Amtrak train and a 2008 Peterbilt 367 truck-tractor on Friday, the first personal injury lawsuit has already been filed. The deadly collision, which claimed the lives of at least six people and injured at least 20 others, made national headlines.
More than 200 passengers and 14 crew members were on the California Zephyr, which was in the Nevada desert when it was struck by a big rig. It has been reported that the semitrailer skidded 320 feet before striking the train.
Now, Amtrak train attendant Alexandra Curtis has filed a truck accident lawsuit against trucker Lawrence Valli and his employer John Davis Trucking Company. Curtis says she suffered permanent and severe injuries and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. She is accusing Valli of disregarding warning signs and railroad crossing gates. Curtis is likely not the last party to sue for personal injury or wrongful death over this deadly Amtrak train collision.
According to California Department of Motor Vehicles records, Valli has received three speeding tickets in California over the last four years. He also was ticketed by authorities for using a cellular phone that was not hands-free, carrying too long a load, and not wearing a seatbelt.
Meantime, workers are continuing to look through the train crash debris looking for more remains.
California Train Crashes
As our Anaheim personal injury law firm has reported in the past, train collisions can result in mass injuries and deaths. It is so important that train operators and crew members follow safety procedures and proper protocol so that trains get to and from their destinations without incident. Trains must also be free from defects and properly maintained. There are also some train crashes that occur because a motor vehicle driver was negligent. This is why you should work with an experienced Orange County, California train crash law firm that knows how to properly investigate your case and prove liability.
1st lawsuit filed over Amtrak train crash in NV, AP, June 28, 2011
Amtrak Train Accident: 5 Still Unaccounted for, The Christian Post, June 27, 2011
'Multiple passenger deaths' in Amtrak train crash, Chicago Sun-Times, June 25, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Train Accidents, Justia
More Blog Posts:
Metrolink Train Engineer Involved in Deadly Chatsworth Train Crash Sent Text Messages Prior to Running Red Light and Colliding with Other Train, Confirm NTSB Investigators, California Injury Lawyers Blog, January 21, 2010
Metrolink Tentatively Agrees to $39 Million Los Angeles County Train Accident Settlement Over Deadly 2005 Glendale Derailment, California Injury Lawyers Blog, December 30, 2009
MetroLink Settles Bulk of 2005 Train Accident Lawsuits Over Fatal Derailment for $30 Million, California Injury Lawyers Blog, October 15, 2009
