If you’ve recently been hurt in a train accident in Jackson, Mississippi, don’t hesitate to call Singleton Schreiber for help. Train accidents can cause painful and debilitating physical injuries and change the course of your life as you know it. Many times, these accidents happen because train service or train operators are negligent. Our experienced Jackson, Mississippi injury lawyers can help you take action and fight for the compensation you need to get your life back on track.
Singleton Schreiber is a nationally recognized personal injury law firm that fights for the rights of accident victims and families. We’ve successfully recovered more than $3 billion for clients across the country, including countless million-dollar and multi-million-dollar recoveries.
Working with our passionate local litigators and having our law firm’s national resources backing your train accident case can give you a much-needed edge. Don’t hesitate to contact our Jackson, MS law office to schedule a free consultation so that you can learn more.
Are Train Accidents Common?
There were 2,261 highway-rail grade crossing train accidents recorded across the United States in 2024 – an average of about 6.1 collisions every day.
These train accidents – which include derailments, collisions with motor vehicles and pedestrians, and collisions with other trains – caused at least 763 injuries and 262 deaths nationwide.
According to the Federal Railroad Association, Jackson, Mississippi, was home to at least two of these train accidents, both of which involved freight trains, not commuter rails.
What Causes Train Accidents?
Amtrak runs through the heart of Jackson, Mississippi, stopping to load and unload passengers at Union Station on its way to and from the City of New Orleans. With a growing interest in rail travel, the Crescent Texas section rail line has also proposed to offer services out of Jackson’s Union Station.
Several industrial and freight rail lines also run in and through Jackson, making the city an important commercial hub in the South.
While these passenger and commercial rail services are held to heightened standards established by state and federal law, accidents still happen.
Some of the most common causes of train accidents include:
- Operating a train at unsafe speeds, especially when approaching curves in the track
- Operator inattention and distraction
- Drug and alcohol use
- Ignoring signals
- Misinterpreting signals
- Improper braking
- Faulty or defective tracks
- Malfunctioning signals and safety barriers
- Damaged brakes, axles, wheels, and other train components
- Engine failure
- Obstructions on the tracks, including motor vehicles and pedestrians (trespassers)
Most often, the causes of these rail accidents can be traced back to critical human errors, mechanical problems, issues with the track, and bad weather conditions.
Who’s Liable For My Train Accident Injuries?
Train accidents can cause passengers, occupants of other vehicles, and pedestrians to suffer serious physical injuries, including crushing injuries, amputated limbs, burn injuries, spinal cord injuries, nerve damage, brain injuries, or even wrongful death.
In Mississippi, victims of train accidents have the right to assert a legal claim for damages against anyone whose negligent or otherwise wrongful actions contributed to their injuries.
Depending on why your train accident happened, liable parties might include a/an:
- Negligent train operator
- Private train service like Amtrak
- Commercial transportation service
- Government agencies, such as the Jackson Transit System (JTRAN)
- Driver of a motor vehicle
- Pedestrian or bicyclist
- Manufacturer of a defective train component or vehicle
- Property owner
- Negligent party’s employer
Pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 11-7-15, liability is proportionate to fault. The more a party bears responsibility for a train accident, the more they’ll be expected to take responsibility for a victim’s injuries and damages. Under the state’s pure comparative negligence system, shared fault can also affect your ability to recover compensation if you’re partly to blame for a train accident. Damages are reduced proportionately to fault up to 99 percent.
How Much Money Could My Train Accident Case Be Worth?
It’ll depend on the types of injuries you’ve suffered in the train accident, how your life has changed because of the incident, and other factors that will be specific to your unique situation.
Your claim’s value will depend on the damages you can recover and how much they’re worth.
In Mississippi, you can file a train accident lawsuit to recover both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages help with your objective financial consequences, including:
- Current and future medical bills
- Temporary lost income
- Lost job benefits
- Reduced earning capacity
- Permanent disability
- Nursing assistance
- Rehabilitation
- Therapy
- Costs paid out-of-pocket
- Property damage
Non-economic damages help you cope with more subjective pain and suffering, such as:
- Chronic physical pain
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Physical scarring
- Inconvenience
- Loss of consortium
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
The more severely you’re injured in a Jackson, MS train accident, the more you can expect your personal injury claim to be worth. The best way to maximize your recovery is by hiring an experienced and skilled Jackson, MS train accident attorney at Singleton Schreiber to fight for you.
How Singleton Schreiber’s Jackson, MS Train Accident Attorneys Can Help You
The train service and other defendants don’t want you to hire a Jackson personal injury attorney after a derailment. They’ll want to negotiate directly with you, hoping that you’ll accept a lowball settlement or give up before getting any compensation at all.
Don’t let them off the hook for the harm they’ve caused. Turn to the award-winning legal team at Singleton Schreiber and count on our Jackson, MS personal injury attorneys to fight for your best interests.
We have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the state and federal rail safety regulations that will likely apply to your case, as well as decades of collective experience litigating high-stakes personal injury disputes. We bring skills, winning legal strategies, and a passion for justice to the table and help our clients leverage top-dollar monetary awards from powerful corporations.
Asking for our help means having the time to focus on your recovery while we:
- Investigate your train accident independently
- Gather critical evidence, such as event recorder data, video footage, forensics reports, property damage, and eyewitness testimony
- Consult experts in the rail industry, forensics, medicine, rehabilitation, and other specialties
- Craft and file a compelling legal claim for damages with the defense’s insurance carrier and/or the local Hinds County court clerk
- Represent you during negotiations with the negligent train service and other responsible parties
- Help you make informed decisions about your claim, including whether it’s in your best interests to accept a settlement or push forward to trial
- Fight for a life-changing verdict for you in court
You have a limited time to file a train accident lawsuit in Mississippi. Barring any exceptions, the statute of limitations is typically three years. If you miss the filing deadline, you lose the ability to recover compensation from those at fault.
Now’s the time to take action, so call our law office in Jackson, MS, for help today. Your initial case review is free.
