For the most part, trains in North Carolina do not pose a significant threat to the communities they trundle through. As long as cars and pedestrians obey safety signals, railway tracks usually remain a relatively benign part of the landscape. Negligence on the part of train operators and railway companies does happen, however; on numerous occasions in the past, wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against one or both of these parties after fatal accidents.
In the recent case of a man struck and killed by a train, details are still unclear. The 50-year old, who was hit by the locomotive late in the evening on Friday last week, was allegedly sitting on the tracks, but apparently did attempt to move away when he saw the oncoming danger. The train collided with the man at approximately 40 miles per hour.
According to his former neighbors, the Burlington man lost his home as the result of losing his job; his girlfriend subsequently also died. Importantly, however, his death was the third train-related fatality in the Burlington station area. Police were involved in an investigation of the accident at the time of the report.
Because of the many factors involved in a fatal accident like this one, family members of deceased persons often benefit from the guidance and support of knowledgeable parties as they explore their legal options. A compensatory settlement cannot bring an individual back, but it may help take care of final expenses, as well as provide financial support for family members as they grieve.
Source: Elon Local News, “Deadly Train Accident in Burlington,” Neima Abdulahi, Feb. 26, 2013