Lorain woman survives train-car accident

Posted in Accident & Injury on January 28, 2013

By Arthur Elk

Did you know that every two hours, a person or vehicle is hit by a train somewhere in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there were about 2,000 vehicle-train crashes in 2011 causing 271 deaths and about 1,000 injuries.

This weekend, an Ohio woman was lucky enough to survive after the car she was driving on Oberlin Road in Amherst Township was struck by a train.

Miriam Matesic, 78, of Lorain was injured Sunday afternoon when her car was struck by a train at a Norfolk Southern railroad crossing. She was taken by medical helicopter to MetroHealth Hospital in Cleveland.

In my nearly four decades as an attorney, I have seen incidents where people disregard warning signs or gates and try to outrun an oncoming train, resulting in an accident. But there are also many cases where railroad crossings are improperly marked or warning lights do not function properly. Some crossings are poorly lit or even completely unlit. Railroad companies are responsible for making sure all their crossings are as safe as possible and all warning devices are functioning properly. When they don’t, they must be held accountable.

No matter the cause of the accident, train accidents can be deadly and have long-term consequences for victims and their families. At Elk & Elk, we have experienced train accident attorneys and we work with leading experts from around the world in railroad accident reconstruction.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a railroad accident, please contact us today. Call 1-800-ELK-OHIO or fill out our online form and find out how we can help you get the compensation you deserve.