While public transportation is an essential part of Chicago’s infrastructure, it is not without its risks. Each year, several people suffer serious and fatal injuries in accidents involving CTA, Metra, and other trains throughout the Chicagoland area.
Providing Chicago’s residents and visitors with cheap, reasonably-efficient, and environmentally-friendly transportation alternatives, the city’s public train systems play an important role in many people’s daily lives. Crisscrossing the city from Inglewood to Manhattan and from O’Hare Airport to Union Station, the Metra system and the CTA’s “L” train connect outlying neighborhoods with transit hubs and all that the Windy City has to offer.
While providing essential services for many individuals, Chicago’s train systems are not without their risks. From derailments to collisions with cars and pedestrians, train accidents regularly cause serious damage and, in some cases, take innocent victims’ lives. Located in downtown Chicago, Malman Law’s experienced Chicago train accident attorneys provide dedicated legal representation for victims of CTA, Metra, and other train accidents.
In addition, medical costs over the course of the victim’s lifetime can be enormous. If you or someone you know has had a spinal cord injury, you know how difficult it is to have your life turned upside down. You may be entitled to damages from one or more parties. During this time, it is critical to have an experienced Illinois injury attorney by your side to help you understand your rights and guide you through the process.
This injury occurs when a traumatic event causes severe spine damage that results in the loss of movement, range of motion, or physical sensation. The spinal cord is a column of nerve tissue that is protected by the bones of your spine. It delivers messages between your brain and the rest of your body. Therefore, an injury to the spinal column may damage or destroy your brain’s ability to communicate with your body. The closer the injury occurs to your head, the more likely it will affect a larger area of your body.
Common spinal injuries include contusion, compression, and spinal fractures. Such injuries could produce side effects including severe depression, emotional trauma, and respiratory problems. Some spinal cord injuries can render a victim paralyzed, whether from the waist down (paraplegic) or from the neck down (quadriplegic).
Annually, the United States records approximately 12,500 new spinal injury cases each year. Many originate from slips and falls, car accidents, and personal injury accidents.
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, common causes of this type of injury are:
A cord injury is a life-changing event and can be particularly traumatic if it occurs as an accident caused by another party. Recovery could take an extended period of time, and it is often very costly.
In spinal cord injury lawsuits, damages typically include compensation that goes above and beyond reimbursement for medical expenses and “pain and suffering.” These types of injuries can have permanent and life-altering effects. Because of this, a damages award can also include compensation for things like:
While some individuals can recover from spinal cord injuries with therapy and treatment, many may never recover and may need lifelong health care, which could prove extremely costly. According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, average expenses for cord injuries in the first year range from $334,170 to $1,023,924.
Although less frequent than car accidents, train accidents are more common than most people realize. The Federal Railroad Administration reports that annually there are nearly 2,000 train accidents nationwide. The leading causes of these accidents include:
While many of these deaths and injuries result from major accidents like derailments and collisions, even more “minor” incidents can result in serious injuries as well. Train operators owe a duty to keep their passengers and the public safe, and if you have suffered any type of injury in a train accident, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation.
At Malman law, we handle train accident cases involving all types of injuries, including:
In any case, your injuries or your loved one’s loss is likely to have significant, long-term consequences for your health, general well-being, and finances. When you hire one of our lawyers, we will fight to make sure that you receive the largest possible settlement or verdict for your train accident claim.