What legal responsibilities do railroads have to motorists and pedestrians injured by trains?
A railroad’s legal responsibilities to an injured motorist or pedestrian will depend upon the factual circumstances of the particular train accident. Often, pedestrian and motorist claims against railroads will be decided under the negligence laws of the state where the accident occurred, but increasingly these lawsuits are preempted and governed by federal regulatory safety standards. Because these cases can depend on complex questions of state and federal law, you should quickly contact an experienced attorney if you have been injured in a train accident.
