Arizona Accident Lawyer Blog

A significant decrease in the number of injuries and fatalities caused by vehicular accidents in Arizona was perceived since the operation of the $1.4 billion light rail transit started in December of 2008. However, this light rail transit which connects Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe also had several train-auto collisions. These collisions have also injured several passengers, light rail riders and auto drivers. Most victims of these kinds of collisions have suffered serious brain and spinal cord injuries.

Another train-auto collision happened on Monday around 9:30 a.m. AZ Central reported that a vehicle collided with the Metro Light Rail in Tempe. The driver from Iowa was making a left turn near Apache Boulevard and Dorsey Lane when he turned into the light rail track.

According to the Tempe Fire Spokesperson, the light rail hit the van from behind. Only the driver was inside the van. On the other hand, the driver and ten passengers of the light rail was relocated after the collision. Fortunately, there were no reported serious injuries or casualties from the incident.

The management decided to take the light rail out of service. The van was taken out of the train path after almost 30 minutes. The incident caused 20-minute delays along the rest of the line. (AZ Central)

Continue reading "Tempe Light Rail Rear-ends Car" »

Though accidents on railways may not seem as common as other auto accidents, a significant number of such cases are being reported each year all over the country. Be it due to operator negligence or faulty manufacturing, lives are at stake when train accidents happen. The Federal Railroad Administration Office of Safety Analysis reported a total of 1,894 total train accidents excluding highway-rail from January to December of 2009, 17 of which occurred in Arizona. These numbers are proof of the need to raise concerns regarding the safety of our railway system.

Just recently, a teenager was reported to have been hit by a train near Florence, 8:20 am Tuesday (AZ Central, pub. 12/07/10). It appears that the 16-year-old did not hear nor see the train while walking along the side of the railroad. In what seemed to have been a fatal accident, the teenager somehow managed to get himself up and walk away.

Union Pacific Railway dispatch then notified the Pinal County Sheriff's Office regarding the said incident. He was given emergency treatment at the scene and was later airlifted to Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix.

Remarkably, the boy was responsive and walking around when the deputies arrived, after being tossed by the train traveling at 50mph.

Continue reading "Train Injures Pedestrian Near Florence" »

As Phoenix truck accident attorneys, we see all-too-often the disastrous results of an inattentive or otherwise distracted truck driver who hits another vehicle. Eighteen-wheel haulers have a lot of weight behind them and can take longer to stop because of the momentum. Trains are very similar to trucks, only on a much larger scale.

A truck and train accident in Phoenix left a tanker truck on its side, but luckily no one was injured. The tipped truck started leaking some substance at the scene but it was determined not to be hazardous. The cause of the accident is still unknown at this time, but the photos show that it did occur at an intersection, so it is possible that the truck was crossing the tracks at the time of the accident.

There are nearly 2,000 train accidents in the U.S. every year (Federal Railroad Administration 2010). Train crossings are frequently the site of accidents as cars try to pass over the tracks to beat the train, and nearly 2,000 individuals are killed or injured in train crossings. Trains weigh nearly 4,000 times the weight of an average car, so even at seemingly slower speeds below 30 miles an hour can be fatal, like a car crushing a soda can. Trains can take up to a mile or to come to a complete stop, so even if you can spot a train coming from a distance, never assume that they can see you or be able to stop in time.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck or train accident, you may deserve compensation, and we may be able to help. Call us today for a free consultation at (602) 267-1280.

Another light rail accident has been reported, according to an article. The numbers of rail accidents seem to be climbing. As Phoenix personal injury attorneys, we are on the record as being proponents of light rail. We would like to see it expanded. We believe that getting more people onto the light rail will reduce the number of accidents and serious injuries on Arizona’s roads. There will be fewer personal injury claims, fewer serious injuries, fewer medical costs to the people involved in accidents and to all of society if we can get more people riding public transportation.

A lawyer that sees so many serious personal injuries, people filing bankruptcy as a result of medical bills, people who lose their homes because they cannot work after a serious accident, and so many other serious effects from car accidents in Arizona, if there is a good alternative, then we support it.

However, this increase in accidents between light rail and cars has to be addressed. This is not to say that every accident with the light rail is the fault of the light rail operator. However, more needs to be done in terms of research and planning to try to limit the number of accidents. Even at the slower speeds they often travel, the light rail cars weigh a lot and have a huge amount of force upon impact with a car. Should they ever be involved in an accident with a motorcyclist or bicyclist, there could be tragic consequences.

Moreover, any accident with a light rail brings with it a very short time frame for Arizona statute of limitations. Someone who's been in an accident with a light rail train needs to be immediately hire a lawyer because they have less than six months (180 days) to find a lawyer, get their case documented, get their damages documented, get their evidence regarding the fault of the light rail operator documented, and get everything put together and filed appropriately. Unlike most serious motor vehicle accidents in Arizona, Phoenix light rail accidents bring with it a much shorter time period and a much quicker fuse.

Whether you have been in an auto accident or a light rail accident, we can help you at Breyer Law Offices, P.C. Within our Husband and Wife law team, Mark Breyer is an Arizona state bar certified specialist in Arizona wrongful death and injury. We have been helping injured victims receive compensation from negligent parties for 12 years. Call us today for a free consultation at 602-978-6400. We will give you the honest answers you need about your case.

It has recently been reported what many experienced Phoenix personal injury lawyers already know-- that there are far too many railroad accidents in Arizona. That far too many dangerous railroad crossings are causing the death of innocent people. That the government needs to take more action to prevent terrible tragedies from taking place at intersections with trains that they already know to be dangerous. People who are driving throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area near Grand Avenue should not have their lives in jeopardy every time they head out.

The recent reports indicate that the train crossing at 35th Avenue and Grand Avenue, the railroad tracks that cross at Thomas Road and Grand Avenue, and the 27th Avenue and Grand Avenue train intersection are on the Federal Railroad Administration’s radar, and they have been since 2002. In fact, according to reports there have been more than 30 accidents between trains and cars in a three-year period, alone.

What must be done to protect people from these accidents? What must be done to make these crossings safer. Obviously, whatever is being done is not nearly enough.

Continue reading "Arizona Train Accidents Occur Far Too Often" »