Due to the latest fatal Amtrak train crash, the company may be facing hundreds of millions of dollars in personal injury claims for the victims injured in the May Philadelphia derailment. In 1997, Congress capped payouts for Amtrak accidents which means money to compensate victims will likely fall short of what is needed.
According to the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act, damages paid by the government to those injured in Amtrak derailments and families of people killed will be limited to $200 million per crash. Since the latest crash killed eight passengers and injured another 200-238 passengers, the newest claim will exceed the capped amount.
Although, some of the facts about the derailment, are not known, it is unlikely Amtrak will escape liability for the accident. Likewise, if mechanical failure or operator error caused the crash, it will not affect the payout because the train was traveling more than twice the speed limit when it wrecked. Furthermore, the train crash was a preventable disaster.
If you or a family member were involved in a train crash, the skilled St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Meyerkord & Kurth would like to hear from you. Please contact us today for a free consultation.