In Tennessee, as elsewhere in the United States, mass transit is not only a convenient method of transportation, but it is generally a safe one. Statistics show that there are far more car accidents than accidents involving mass transit vehicles like trains, buses, and ferries. Nonetheless, as many of us are painfully aware when mass transit accidents do occur they injure far more people and often cause more catastrophic injuries and fatalities than auto accidents.
If you have been seriously injured in a mass transit accident, or have experienced the tragic loss of a loved one, you are undoubtedly overwhelmed. If you are the injured party, you are probably not only suffering physical pain and emotional trauma but also experiencing distress about the financial instability you and your family may be facing while you are unable to work and your medical bills skyrocket. If you have lost a family member to wrongful death due to a mass transit accident, your grief may also be coupled with the fear of having lost a wage earner who kept the family afloat.
Whatever the particulars of your situation, this is the time to turn to Brian Cummings, the lead personal injury attorney of Cummings Law — a premier personal injury practice located in Nashville and serving clients throughout Middle Tennessee. He will file a lawsuit against those responsible to help you claim the damages you deserve and will never charge you a fee until he recovers for you.
Cummings Law Will Level the Playing Field
Brian Cummings’ legal knowledge and courtroom agility are well-known; he has received excellent ratings nationally as well as in Tennessee. By using his familiarity with the justice system and his experience with personal injury claims, he will fight fiercely through negotiation or to win a verdict for you at trial. When you contact Cummings Law you can rest assured that you will receive respect, personal attention, and talented legal counsel. Brian will always make your needs his priority, working with strength and determination to obtain substantial damages for you and your loved ones.
Train Accidents in Tennessee
Train travel is not as available throughout Tennessee as it is in some other states. Amtrak, for example, only stops at one major city in the state: Memphis; it also stops at Newbern (Dyersburg). TARP (Tennessee Association of Railroad Passengers) is also limited in scope. No matter how restricted train service is, however, accidents happen.
Causes of Train Accidents in Tennessee
The most common causes of train accidents are:
- Derailment
- Collision with another train
- Collision with another motor vehicle
- Collision with a pedestrian
- Defective or damaged train or rail equipment
- Weather-related damage to rails or obstruction on the tracks
- Malfunctioning signals along the rails or at railroad crossings
- Fatigue, drug/alcohol impairment, reckless behavior or poor judgment of train operator
Liability for any railroad accident will be determined by a thorough investigation. Responsibility for the accident may rest with the train operator, the railway owner, the company that manufactured, sold, or installed, a defective part of the train, or the company that improperly maintained or repaired it. In many cases, bad weather or an obstacle on the tracks, a car driver, or even a pedestrian may contribute to train accident. The one thing you and your Cummings Law mass transit attorney can be sure of is that the fault was not yours and you need top-notch legal help. If you have been injured as a passenger in a train accident, you are almost certainly entitled to substantial compensation.
Bus Accidents in Tennessee
In Tennessee, WeGo Public Transit, formerly the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), is in charge of transporting almost 10 million riders annually in both commuter buses and paratransit buses (minibuses or vans servicing disabled riders). WeGo Public Transit serves both Nashville and Davidson Counties.
Although certainly not as common as car accidents, bus accidents take their toll on the population of Tennessee. It should be remembered that, in addition to carrying so many more passengers than cars, buses are much larger and heavier than most other vehicles on the road. For this reason, they present a much greater danger to occupants of cars that collide with them than do car-on-car collisions.
Privately owned buses, such as charter and tour buses as also part of mass transit in Tennessee. These buses, however, are owned by private companies, cannot be boarded without prior reservation, and are considerably more expensive than public buses. Still, passengers can certainly be injured or killed on charter or tour buses, especially because these vehicles routinely travel at higher speeds because they transport passengers on highways as well as on city streets. Cummings Law handles these cases, too, as well as school bus accidents for which the driver of the school bus or another driver may be responsible. If the school bus driver is found to be at fault or there is something wrong with the vehicle itself, Brian Cummings will strategize a strong case against the school district and/or the company it leases its buses from.
Causes of Bus Accidents
Bus accidents, like other mass transit accidents, may have one cause or several causes. Such accidents may be the fault of the driver of another vehicle or be caused by one or more of the following:
- Bus driver impaired by drugs or alcohol
- Bus driver who is fatigued, ill, or distracted
- Poorly maintained mechanical or electronic equipment of the bus itself
- Insufficient training of the bus driver
- Improper vetting of the bus driver
- Recklessness on the part of the bus driver –e.g. speeding, disobeying traffic signals
Buses are not easy vehicles to maneuver. Their cumbersome length and height make left turns, especially on narrow roads, extremely difficult. They have large blind spots drivers have to take into account. Still, the nature of these vehicles should mean greater caution, not more accidents.
Other Types of Mass Transit in Tennessee
Our comprehensive legal representation also extends to trolley accidents since private on-off trolleys that stop at popular destinations throughout Nashville are very popular. Cummings Law also handles mass transit accident involving either of the two ferries operated by the state of Tennessee: The Benton-Houston ferry that runs across the Tennessee River and the Cumberland City Ferry which crosses the Cumberland River. If you are injured during a trolley or ferry accident, Cummings Law is well-prepared to stand up for your right to just compensation.
Contact Our Nashville Mass Transit Accident Attorney
One of the reasons it’s essential to have Brian Cummings at your side as you try to get the money you deserve is that liability in mass transit accidents may be difficult to determine. There are many variables and often more than one party is at fault. At Cummings Law we know all too well how terrible your injuries may be and how desperately you may require the financial remuneration the law entitles you to. But, you need legal help from the right lawyer.
Our practice has won millions of dollars for our clients who suffered physical injuries due to others’ negligence. Your injuries may include head and neck injuries, internal bleeding, organ damage, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and amputations. Catastrophic injuries can result in paralysis, loss of sight or hearing, burns and disfigurement, cognitive impairment or other long-term disabilities that impact the rest of your life and you only have one chance to recover for those injuries.
We will work tirelessly to win damages for you to relieve you of the burden of your medical and rehabilitative costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and, if a wrongful death has taken place, funeral and burial or cremation expenses, and loss of consortium damages (loss of your relationship with your deceased family member). If there was egregious misconduct on the part of a defendant, we will also fight to help you receive punitive damages. Contact us and see what a remarkable difference Cummings Law can make. We will take over all of the logistical insurance and legal problems you cannot cope with to help give you the peace of mind you need to recover and restart your life.
