Free consultation with an injury lawyer. Call 412-802-6666, text 412-855-5511, or send us a message.
Train accidents are rare, but when they happen the injuries are usually severe.
Since 1997, the attorneys at Flaherty Fardo Rogel & Amick have represented injured people and their families throughout Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. We work closely as one team. Every case that heads toward trial has the whole team behind it. Freight rail lines run along our rivers and through our communities, and Pittsburgh’s light rail system carries riders every day. Given the size and weight of a train, people who survive a collision often suffer permanent injuries.
Common Types of Train Accidents
- Collisions with cars and trucks at railroad crossings
- Collisions with pedestrians
- Derailments
- Collisions between trains
- Passenger injuries from sudden stops, boarding and platform hazards
- Fires
Common Causes
- Operator inexperience, fatigue, distraction or impairment
- Electrical or mechanical failures from poor maintenance or defects
- Track defects and poor track maintenance
- Crossing signals and gates that fail, or crossings with poor visibility
Pennsylvania and Federal Rules You Should Know
- Public transit claims. Claims against a government transit agency require written notice within six months, and immunity laws limit some claims. Do not wait.
- Deadline. Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years.
- Shared fault. You can recover if you were 50% or less at fault. Your award is reduced by your share.
- Railroad workers. Injured railroad employees generally have claims under a federal law, the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA). A railroad is liable when its negligence caused the injury in whole or in part. A worker’s own fault reduces, but does not bar, recovery. FELA claims must be filed within three years.
- Wrongful death. When a train crash takes a life, the family may bring wrongful death and survival claims.
How We Build Train Cases
- Act fast. Railroads and transit agencies have their own investigators at the scene. We move quickly to preserve event recorder data, video, maintenance and crossing records.
- Experts when they matter. Rail safety witnesses and accident reconstructionists explain the cause.
- Trial-ready. Large railroads and their insurers know we are prepared to try cases to a jury.
What You Can Recover
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain, suffering and loss of life’s pleasures
- Scarring, disfigurement and permanent disability
- Wrongful death and survival damages for the family of a person killed
Related Cases We Handle
Talk to an Injury Lawyer
Every case starts with a conversation with a lawyer. We will tell you honestly whether you have a case and what it may be worth. Our injury cases are handled by Noah Fardo and Bill Rogel, working with Shawn Flaherty.
Call 412-802-6666 or email Managing Partner Noah Fardo at npf@pghfirm.com. Prefer to text? Use 412-855-5511. More answers: Personal Injury FAQ.
There is no fee unless we obtain a monetary recovery. We advance the case costs and are reimbursed from the client’s share only if we are successful. General information only, not legal advice. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.











