In May, an Amtrak train accident near Philadelphia made national news when the train derailed, killing eight people and injuring more than 200. Now, the family of a Maryland man who was among the eight killed in the accident has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Amtrak, accusing the transportation agency of negligence. There are now more than a dozen outstanding claims filed stemming from the crash.

The man from Maryland was reportedly sitting in the front passenger car, which suffered the most significant damage in the accident. The train approached a sharp curve at more than 100 miles per hour — an extremely dangerous speed, especially considering the speed limit at the curve is 50 miles per hour. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are still investigating exactly what caused the engineer to take the curve at such a high rate of speed.

Was Amtrak negligent?

The 45-year-old man was traveling to a business meeting in New York at the time of the accident. His wife, parents and two children have brought the suit against Amtrak. The plaintiffs argue that Amtrak bears liability for the engineer’s conduct and for failing to create an atmosphere of safety. The May accident was the deadliest train accident in the United States in many years.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in an accident while using any type of public transportation, such as buses or trains, you may have the right to seeking compensation from the parties responsible. Speak with an experienced personal injury attorney at Mudd, Mudd & Fitzgerald, P.A. in La Plata, Maryland.