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compensation following an accident
illness or injury - nationwide
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There are thousands of level crossings over train lines in the UK and millions of people and vehicles cross them every day without mishap so when a railway accident on one of these occurs it is bound to make headlines.
Network Rail is responsible for the maintenance and safety of all crossings and its activities are monitored by the Office of the Rail Regulator in order to reduce the risk of accidents to train passengers and other members of the public who are on or near railway property.
Before the introduction of automatic barriers at level crossings, each set of gates would have a box next to it from where an operator could check the progress of an oncoming train then close the gates either manually or mechanically and re-open them when the train had passed.
Now, with the almost-universal use of automatic full and half barriers controlled from a distant computer by an operator who looks after a number of crossings in the vicinity, there is less human supervision of the opening and closing of gates which can increase the chance of someone being hurt or a vehicle damaged if a barrier comes down on them or leaves them trapped on the line.
There are relatively few vehicle or personal injury accidents at controlled level crossings but the risks remain quite high on crossings where there is no monitoring.
These are usually in rural areas where ancient lanes used by tractors cross the railway lines or footpath routes are still walked despite the intrusion of trains. On these crossings, which are closed by gates opened by the user, it is up to the walker to take particular care of their own safety and make no attempt to cross unless the line is totally clear.
With vehicles moving slowly, it is even more important that an accident is averted because, if a collision with an oncoming train occurs, there are likely to be passenger injuries on board as well as harm to the drivers.
Network Rail has a duty to warn all unmanned crossing users of the potential danger of a railway accident by displaying signs and telling drivers to call the nearest control box before crossing the line, particularly with a large or slow vehicle which may take some time to travel over.
Some accidents may not be the result of negligence on the part of the line company, such as ice on the road causing a vehicle to skid through the gates, but with the serious consequences of any form of railway accident involving a train, the company must take every precaution to protect members of the public.
Equally, it could not be held liable for stupidity by a pedestrian or driver who tried to dodge around a half-barrier or halted when crossing the line and subsequently suffered a serious injury or death.
If you, or a loved one, has been involved in a railway accident at a level crossing, whether as a pedestrian, driver or passenger, you may be entitled to compensation for pain, suffering or loss of earnings.
By consulting YouClaim's lawyers for legal advice on making such a claim for damages, you will be putting yourself in the hands of a team of experts with specialised experience in all aspects of personal injury law.
In addition to receiving the benefit of their professional knowledge and methods, which are monitored by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, most clients are covered by the no win no fee system which means every penny of compensation won is theirs to keep.
There are several ways to contact YouClaim to initialise a claim: you can complete an online inquiry form with basic details and we will phone you back promptly, you can start Live Help with a member of our friendly team of advisors or call us on 0800 10 757 95.
