Bill to Increase Railroad Accident Liability Cap
A California representative introduced a bill that seeks to increase the liability cap in some railroad accidents by $300 million. The current cap is set at $200 million; the bill aims to increase it to $500 million.
Rep. Elton Gallegly introduced the bill in September 2010. He says the new cap would raise the standard and would only apply to railroad accidents involving gross negligence. The new bill would retroactively apply to the 2008 Metrolink crash, in which 25 people died and 135 others suffered injuries.
Gallegly told reporters that some of the people who suffered severe injuries in the Metrolink collision may not get enough compensation to cover their medical bills under the current cap. The Metrolink crash occurred Sept. 12, 2008. The fatal railroad crash was linked to a Metrolink engineer who was text messaging at the time of the accident.
For more information about the bill, or if you’ve been injured in a railroad crash and would like to speak with a railroad accident attorney about gaining compensation, contact us today. We can be reached toll free at (800) 773-6770.
