Lawsuit filed against 3 trucking companies after Amtrak derailment in Lakeland
On behalf of the people injured in the crash, Morgan & Morgan claims the crash was caused by “alleged driver negligence.”
LAKELAND, Florida. Nearly a week after an Amtrak train derailed in Lakeland resulting in injuries, Morgan & Morgan filed a lawsuit against the three transport companies.
Eight people were taken to hospital on Friday, July 14, after a semi-trailer and an Amtrak train collided, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office previously said.
A semi-trailer carrying seven vehicles was stuck on railroad tracks on Canal Avenue North, south of US 92, authorities said Saturday.
When the semi-trailer got stuck, Amtrak Train 92 approached Canal Avenue to the north while traveling at 78 mph, authorities said. Train driver Ronald Webb saw the semi-trailer and began to honk.
The sheriff’s office said the wishbones and headlights activated and began colliding with the truck’s trailer. The deputies said truck driver Valberto Carrasana Bermudez and his passenger José Luis Lajera Vidal jumped out of the semi-trailer before the collision.
Authorities said that after the train and semi-trailer collided, the train continued for about 200 yards before coming to a complete stop. There were 163 passengers and 10 crew members on the train.
They were all moved to another location to stay until they were taken back to Tampa.
It is reported that the lawsuit was filed against three trucking companies that owned cars transported on a semi-trailer.
On behalf of the people injured in the crash, the law firm’s company claims the crash was caused by “alleged driver negligence.”
“The catastrophic derailment, caused by the alleged negligence of the train driver, not only injured dozens of people, but also disrupted train traffic for thousands of customers and resulted in massive delays,” Morgan & Morgan’s attorneys said in a statement. “We are committed to holding the perpetrators accountable for their actions and omissions that led to this incident.
“As the Polk County Sheriff’s Office continues its full and thorough investigation into the plane crash, we look forward to working with them as we conduct our investigation to bring justice to these victims.”
10 Jordan Highsmith and Briton Mitchell of Tampa Bay contributed to this report.
