woman waiting to ride a public transportation

Mass Transit Accident Attorneys in Chicago, Illinois

Millions of Illinois residents use public transportation daily. In the Chicago metro area, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses, L trains, and the suburban Pace bus and van systems are integral to life. The South Shore Line is also frequently used by commuting workers and tourists in Indiana and Illinois.

Across the state, the Illinois Public Transport Association has nearly 60 members that include transit operations in 16 major downstate metropolitan areas and 32 rural / county public transportation operations, including transportation for senior centers. School buses ferry young riders across communities throughout Illinois every day.

Because of the speed and weight of buses and trains and their slower response when stopping, collisions involving public transportation vehicles can cause considerably more damage and personal harm than wrecks involving only passenger vehicles. Also, because mass transportation vehicles carry numerous people by design, public transportation crashes typically result in multiple personal injuries or deaths.

State or local governments that provide public transportation have a legal obligation to ensure their trains and buses are safe. When a public transportation collision occurs, people who have been injured – or the families of those lost in fatal incidents – have a right to seek compensation for their losses. The Chicago train accident lawyers and bus accident lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. can explain your options for financial recovery during a free, no-obligation consultation. Contact us today to learn about your legal rights following a Chicago mass transit crash.

Different Types of Public Transportation Collisions

Accidents occur in every mode of public transportation across our state, including the following:

  • Trains – The Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) most recent Crash Facts and Statistics report says four fatal train crashes involving passenger lines across the state in the most recent year for which data is available. These train crashes resulted in four deaths, eight A-injuries, and 27 injuries. IDOT defines an A-injury as any injury other than a fatal injury that prevents the victim from walking, driving, or normally continuing the activities they were capable of performing before the accident occurred. Specifically, these injuries include severe lacerations, broken bones, skull injuries, chest injuries, and abdominal injuries.
  • School buses – There were 1,227 school bus crashes in Illinois for the most recent year for which data is available, including 207 injury crashes and one fatal crash, according to IDOT.
  • Subways – News reports show that Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) subway trains have derailed at least 27 times over the last decade. 
  • Public buses – ABC 7 News reports that CTA buses crash on average once every 36 hours. 

Types of Public Transportation Injuries

Train, bus, and other public transit wrecks can cause death or severe injuries. Common train injuries and other Chicago mass transit injuries include:

  • Broken bones
  • Paralysis
  • Limb loss (amputation)
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Chicago Public Transportation Crashes: Facts And Figures

Hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents rely on public transportation every day. This is particularly true in the Chicago metro area, where the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) offer public buses and trains, including the Metra train service. School buses are another sector of public transportation responsible for millions of young riders every day.

The state or local government entities that sponsor public transportation services have an obligation to ensure that trains, subway lines, buses, etc., are operated safely. When a public transportation collision occurs, those who have been injured – or the families of anyone who has been killed – have a right to seek compensation from the parties responsible for the crash.

Let’s take a closer look at these types of transportation crashes.

The Chicago Transit Authority operates the nation’s second largest public transportation system. The CTA sets annual goals for performance metrics in various areas, including safety.

For both the bus and rail lines, the CTA defines a “safety-related incident” as “any event where one or more of the following occurs on the system”:

  • Individual dies at the time or within 30 days of the event
  • One or more persons suffer bodily damage as a result of the event, requiring immediate medical attention away from the scene
  • Property damage in excess of $25,000

The CTA reports:

  • 1,864 CTA buses operate 129 routes and 1,536 route miles. Buses make about 19,237 trips a day and serve 10,768 posted bus stops. CTA buses travel 161,192 miles each day. 
  • CTA’s regional transit system provides 81 percent of the public transit trips in the Chicago metropolitan area. 
  • 1,492 CTA rail cars operate eight routes and 224.1 miles of track. CTA trains make about 2,318 trips each day and serve 145 stations. CTA trains travel 233,906 miles each day.

For the most recent year for which data is available, the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) most recent Crash Facts and Statistics report says there were:

  • Four fatal train crashes across the state in which motor vehicles were involved with trains, resulting in four deaths.
  • Four people were killed at railroad crossings with RR gates. Two died where there was an “other RR crossing device.”

IDOT also reports:

  • 1,227 school bus crashes were reported in Illinois, including 207 injury-causing crashes and one fatal crash. 
  • 1,019 school bus crashes resulted in reportable property damage.
  • 1,175 school bus crashes were in urban areas, and 48 were in rural areas.
  • 26 school bus passengers suffered A-injuries. 
  • 2 school bus drivers were injured in crashes.
  • One school-age pedestrian was injured in a school bus crash.

Across the country, an average of six school-age occupants of school transportation vehicles and 13 school-age pedestrians die in school transportation-related traffic crashes each year, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

These are simply the statistics that are available.

Smaller organizations, which transport tens of millions of riders in a year, may not compile or publish local statistics, but accidents do happen. For instance, 18 passengers requested medical treatment in one year after the Pace bus they were riding collided with a car in Chicago Heights. Also, buses operated by the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District have struck and killed pedestrians in previous years.

Proving Negligence in a Mass Transit Accident

Governmental agencies that offer public transportation, like buses, trains, and subways, are responsible for the safety of their passengers. When a public transportation crash occurs, the agency can be held accountable, but it’s likely that multiple parties and insurance companies will quickly become involved to protect the agency’s interests.

In many cases, multiple parties could be involved in the aftermath of a public transportation collision. Often there are contractors, vehicle manufacturers, and others who could be held accountable for a public transportation crash because of their negligence or faulty equipment, which may have contributed to the crash or its severity.

An experienced public transportation lawyer can help establish liability for the mass transit collision by:

  • Conducting a thorough investigation into the factors that contributed to the incident
  • Identifying all parties who are financially responsible for the crash
  • Working with experts in various fields who can help establish liability for the collision and the full extent of your injuries
  • Interviewing witnesses
  • Gathering evidence, including data stored in electronic recorders of the public transit vehicles involved

The team at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. will work with you directly to pursue compensation for your current and expected losses. We want you to focus on your well-being and physical and emotional recovery. We will advocate for you every step of the way. You do not have to face this alone.

Damages Recoverable in Mass Transit Accidents

Our Chicago mass transit crash lawyers will help calculate your current and expected financial losses stemming from the incident. This may include financial recovery for the following damages:

  • Past and future medical expenses, including rehabilitation and therapy services
  • Past and future lost wages
  • Loss of earning capacity
  • Property damage
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish and emotional distress

What to Do After a Public Transportation Collision

If you were injured in a Chicago train crash, bus crash, or other public transportation accident, take these steps to protect your health and your legal claim:

  • Get to safety – Remove yourself from any dangerous situation.
  • Call the police – Report the wreck to the police. Alert emergency personnel to any injuries you or other passengers have experienced.
  • Collect evidence at the scene – Important evidence about the collision may soon disappear because the accident scene will quickly be cleaned up. Therefore, it is important that you try to document what you can by taking pictures of the scene, getting the names of everyone involved, and gathering contact information for witnesses.
  • Seek medical treatment – If you are injured, seek immediate medical treatment. This will protect your health and provide invaluable evidence to support your claim.
  • Call a lawyer – Contact a qualified Chicago train accident lawyer or bus accident lawyer to protect your rights. An experienced lawyer familiar with the CTA can advise you on the next steps to take and how to protect your claim.
  • File a claim with the CTA – Because the CTA is a government entity, the process of filing a claim is different, and you have less time to do so. A lawyer can help you fulfill the necessary reporting requirements to preserve your rights.

Seek Legal Help After a Public Transportation Collision 

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Chicago train collision, Illinois public transportation accident, school bus crash, or taxi accident, you may have a right to pursue compensation for your injuries and losses. Contact a Chicago public transportation accident attorney at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. today for a free, no-obligation evaluation of your case. We have successfully recovered more than $2.5 billion to date for our deserving clients. We are ready to fight for you. Call us toll-free or complete our online contact form.