Public Transportation Accident Lawyers in Chicago, Illinois
Public transportation is a great way to get around Chicago. Where ever you are trying to go in to the City there is a way to get there via public transportation. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains can be very cost effective and convenient form of travel. For a few dollars, you can travel to almost any location in Chicago by riding the El. Also, riding a CTA train is usually a safe way of traveling. However, like any form of traveling, there are risks. Last year, a train that crashed at the O’Hare station stop made national headlines and caused thirty-four injuries. While this accident highlighted the dangers associated with riding the train, there are also potential dangers for passengers waiting at the train stations.
NBC Chicago reported that a man was found dead on the Red Line tracks in the Loop. The man, who was in his fifties or sixties, was found by police officers at 12:35 a.m. near the Harrison stop. Authorities said the man was allegedly chasing after a beach ball. Unfortunately, this is not the only recent death at a CTA station. In Late June, a man was electrocuted after falling on Blue Line tracks at the Kedzie-Homan stop, the Chicago Sun Times Reported. The man fell on the third rail of the tracks at around 4:45 a.m. He was taken to the hospital, where he died. Similarly, a person fell onto the train tracks at the Western station on the Forest Park Branch of the Blue Line at about 1:20 pm in mid May. The man neither made contact with the third rail nor was hit by a train. He was taken to the hospital in serious condition.
In 2012, there were eleven accidents involving people waiting to board a CTA train, according to a Loyola University blog post. Over the past few years, there have been between six and ten fatalities a year. The deaths were the result of contact with trains and the third rail. Some suggest that a possible solution to these injuries and fatalities would be to have more personnel watching people buying tickets and passing through the turnstiles at the stations. However, critics of this suggestion prefer the ease of traveling on a CTA train and do not want a boarding experience like the one at the airport. The CTA recommends that passengers stand behind the blue edging or at least two feet from the edge of the platform in order to avoid falling or dropping something onto the tracks.
If you or someone you know was injured in a bus or train related accident, or if you fell or were injured on transit operations’ property call us at 312.422.0500 for a free consultation.
