Last month, a 23-year-old man was killed in a tragic train accident in Brownsville. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the young driver failed to yield at a railroad crossing and his vehicle collided with a CSX train. The man leaves behind a fiancée and a 17-month-old son.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, the man’s fiancée and many others have called for the state of Tennessee to install warning signals at the railroad crossing. There are no warning lights or guardrails at this particular crossing, according to news reports. There is only one sign.
According to a news report that cited the victim’s fiancée, a total of four accidents have occurred at this train crossing, and two of them were fatal.
About 1,000 people have signed a petition demanding increased safety measures at the crossing. The petition’s organizer hopes to get 4,000 more. It is critical for railroad crossings to have adequate and functioning warning systems in place in order to prevent train accidents.
The community is also hosting a fundraiser to raise money for the victim’s young child.
When fatal train accidents do occur in Tennessee, the loved ones of the victims may benefit from seeking legal counsel. In certain cases, it may be possible to obtain compensation for funeral expenses and lost wages. When families lose loved ones in sudden accidents, the financial impact is often very difficult to handle. If an accident is caused by negligence, it may be possible to hold negligent parties accountable for such damages.
Source: WMCTV, “Hundreds sign petition after fatal train, car accident,” Jan. 13, 2014