Cross-border personal injury claims may follow Amtrak derailment

Amtrak reported that it is investigating an incident in which one of its trains derailed on a recent Sunday afternoon. Claims of cross-border personal injury may result, as the train travelled between Vancouver and a city in Oregon. Reportedly, the derailment occurred in Washington state.

According to Amtrak officials, the derailment occurred when the locomotive and the baggage car left the tracks as the train travelled across Chambers Bay Bridge near Tacoma in Washington. They say the train was northbound when four of the 15 cars derailed. More than 250 passengers occupied the train at the time of the accident. This incident apparently happened around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 2.

Firefighters hurried to the scene to tend to many injured passengers. Authorities reported that no serious or critical injuries were reported among the crew and the 267 passengers that were travelling on the train. Emergency crews deployed floating oil-absorbent booms in the water below the bridge, and dive teams on rescue boats also arrived at the scene to check whether any passengers landed in the water.

These reports were published in the hours after the derailment. In many cases, accident victims have delayed symptoms of injuries that only become evident in the days and weeks following a crash. If this is the case for any Vancouver residents who were travelling on the train that derailed, pursuing recovery of damages may be complicated — because the accident occurred in another country. However, the support and guidance of a cross-border personal injury law firm can be helpful in dealing with insurance companies and any lawsuits on either side of the border.

Source: Reuters, “Amtrak train derails in Washington state, injuring several passengers“, July 2, 2017