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Family Of Dance Instructor Killed In Train Collision Receives $6M

by Daniel J. McDevitt on March 17, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, train accident, wrongful death

Nearly two years after a Naperville dance instructor was struck and killed at a train crossing due to malfunctioning equipment, the family has come to a $6 million settlement with the railroad company.

Twenty-six-year-old Katie Ann Lunn was on her way to her Lincoln Park residence from an awards contest when a Chicago-bound Amtrak collided with her sports utility vehicle at approximately 78 mph. Witnesses reported and video showed the gates, lights and bells were not working at the time of the crash.

Canadian National Railway Co. had a crew out there working hours before the crash and had accidentally disabled the gate and warning lights and sounds. The family was scheduled to go to trial in a civil suit against the railway company on Tuesday, but the family came to an agreement with the company Monday evening.

Additionally, the signalman assigned to assuring the signals were operating correctly should have been tested for drugs and alcohol, but no test was given because it apparently wasn’t mandatory for non crewmen. The Amtrak crew was cleared of wrongdoing in the accident.

If you or your loved one has been serious injured or killed in any type of train accident, you want an aggressive Chicago personal injury attorney on your side fighting on your behalf. Call our offices today for a free, initial consultation.

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Study: Wearing Headphones And Walking Can Be Deadly

by Daniel J. McDevitt on January 18, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, train accident

A new study by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that serious injuries to pedestrians listening to headphones has more than tripled since 2005.

According to the news release, in many instances a car or train is sounding a horn to alert the pedestrian, but that person is unable to hear it. Those cases lead to fatalities in 70 percent of all incidents.

Dr. Lichenstein, along with some colleagues, studied 116 accident cases after gathering case reports from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Comission, Google News Archives and the Westlaw Campus Research databases for reports of pedestrian injuries or fatalities from crashes with trains or motor vehicles between 2004 and 2011.

Their findings were released online Monday in the journal ‘Injury Prevention.’

Sixty-eight percent of the victims were male and 67 percent were younger than 30. According to their findings, more than half of the accidents involved trains and 29 percent reported sounding a horn or other warning prior to the incident.

The study was initiated after a local teen died at a railroad crossing. The teen was noted to be wearing headphones and did not avoid the train, despite several warnings.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured or killed in any type of motor vehicle accident, the Chicago personal injury attorneys at Dwyer & McDevitt, Ltd. are here for you. Contact us today for your free, initial consultation.

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Train Derails, Traffic Diverted For Hours

by Daniel J. McDevitt on January 14, 2012 in Accident, train accident, transportation news

Traffic was diverted Thursday when a train carrying ethanol derailed in Gibson City.

Officials said two tanker cars contianing 28,000 gallons each of ethanol slipped off the railroad tracks about 2 p.m. Even though no leak happened, the highway was clear for nearly 11 hours after the derailment.

According to reports, the trains did not tip over and the tracks were being repaired on Friday. Local businesses did have to evacuate as a safety percaution, however, and a mile-long stretch of Illinois 9 was closed until about 1 a.m.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a train accident, you may need the counsel of an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer. Contact our office today for your free, initial consultation.

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Two Elderly Woman Killed When Car and Train Collide

by Daniel J. McDevitt on July 23, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, car accident, train accident

Two elderly woman were killed Thursday afternoon in a collision with a Metra train.

According to reports, the women, 81-year-old Donna Grace and 97-year-old Gail Crabtree were returning from a weekly dominos game when the crash occurred.

Officials said their car crashed through crossing gates near 167th STreet and Central Avenue, near Oak Forest. The accident occurred about 4 p.m.

The two had dropped off another friend just before the crash occurred. The train pushed the vehicle several hundred feet. The lead car derailed, but remained upright.

If you or a loved one has been in a train or motor vehicle accident, we may be able to assist you. Contact our offices today for your free case evaluation.

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Amtrak Sues Trucking Company Involved In Deadly Crash

by Daniel J. McDevitt on June 30, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, train accident, transportation news, truck accident, wrongful death

Amtrak sued the truck company involved in a Nevada crash that killed six and injured many more last Friday morning.

The crash occurred when the truck driver slammed into the train through the crossing gate in Nevada. About 200 passengers were on the California Zephyr at the time, traveling from Chicago to Emeryville, Ca.

The 43-year-old driver was one of those killed in the accident. The National Transportation and Safety Board is still investigating the accident and said it may take up to a year to complete the investigation.

Amtrak is suing the John Davis Trucking Company, based in Nevada, for unspecified damages, including loss of its train cars, loss of business and expenses associated with the clean-up and investigation.

The lawsuit is the second in connection with the accident. Earlier this week, an Amtrak attendee sued the trucking company for negligence.

If you or your loved one has been injured in a trucking or train accident, our offices may be able to help you. Contact us today for your free, immediate case evaluation.

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Two Men Killed By Metra Train

by Daniel J. McDevitt on June 21, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, train accident, transportation news

Two men were struck and killed by a Metra train Monday night.

According to officials, the outbound train was heading toward Aurora when it hit the two men just before midnight on the Chicago-Cicero border.

A 30-year-old man was dead on the scene and a 53-year-old man died later at a local hospital. The accident occurred on the tracks and not at a crossing, according to police.

The train was scheduled to arrive in Aurora at 12:55 a.m., but was detained at the scene for an investigation. Passengers were transported to another train and arrived an hour late.

If you or your loved one has been injured in a train accident, we may be able to assist you. Contact our offices today for your free case evaluation.

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Truck Driver Killed In Collision With Metra Train

by Daniel J. McDevitt on May 14, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, train accident

A truck driver is dead after a Metra train slammed into his truck Friday morning in Mount Prospect after he made an illegal turn and drove around the crossing gates.

Officials said the driver, Kazimierz Karasek, 59, seemed to have ignored a “No Left Turn” sign as well as the activated crossing gates and lights. He appeared to have entered the intersection just as the train was heading through, just after 8:30 a.m. The truck was hit squarely and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

According to officials, at least 26 passengers were taken to local hospitals and an additional 10 were treated on site, but none of the passengers seemed to have life-threatening injuries.

The driver had more than 50 previous violations in the past 25 years, including a DUI.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a train accident, our offices may be able to help you. Contact us today for your free case evaluation.

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