There was a southern Indiana train accident on Highway 31 and Bringham, in Sellersburg, yesterday.  The train is operated by Louisville & Indiana Railroad.  Witnesses stated that the vehicle involved in the collision “wasn’t moving on the tracks” when the fatal accident occurred.

Accident reconstruction experts and police officers will examine the evidence at the crash site in an attempt to determine the cause of this Southern Indiana train accident.  Like many railroad crossings in Indiana and Kentucky, this crossing didn’t have lights or a crossing gate to warn oncoming traffic.

Our firm has a long history of working on train accident cases.  The damage done by a locomotive is usually catastrophic.  Unfortunately, one person was killed and the other rushed to the hospital.

Important factors will need to be considered during the investigation.  Train engineers have specific rules and procedures that must be followed at all road crossings.  Did the crew follow the rules?  Were they distracted?  Did they sound their horns from the proper distance to warn vehicles?

At the same time, there’s the question of why the vehicle was seemingly stopped on the railroad tracks.  Was the driver aware the train was coming?  Did the vehicle experience a mechanical failure?  Was this simply a tragic Southern Indiana train accident?

Hargadon, Lenihan and Herrington is Louisville’s oldest personal injury firm.  We were founded in 1924.  Over the decades we’ve been involved in complex cases including trains, tractor trailers, cars and boats.  No case is as simple as it seems.  No verdict will ever replace the loved one who perished.  The best the family can hope for is to discover the answers to their questions, to hold the responsible party accountable, and potentially to receive enough compensation to provide for the care and treatment of the survivor in this crash.

Large verdicts in train accidents seem to many as the answer the family needs.  Throughout the years, we’ve found that almost every family would gladly give back the money to have their loved one back.  We feel for this family.  We hope justice will prevail, in whatever form it deserves.

This is not the Christmas any family expects.  Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, the holidays will never be the same.  It’s truly a tragic day in Southern Indiana.