Every now and then a train derailment makes headline news. A few cars go off the track, some goods are spilled, but all in all there’s not too much damage.

A washed out track or collapsed bridge can bring real disaster and loss of life. In these cases, the blame usually gets pinned on mother nature. But sometimes it is not mother nature’s fault at all.

Take for example the September 2008 fire in the Channel Tunnel in Europe. This engineering marvel is like a subway, except both trains and vehicular traffic travel through it. This disaster destroyed a freight train carrying twenty-seven trucks. With temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius, it is a miracle that no lives were lost.

Another terrible accident happened recently in Washington D.C. A Metro subway train crashed into another train during the afternoon rush hour. This time seventy-five people were injured and at least six travelers died.

Imagine what it was like to be in an accident like that. Passengers were carried out on stretchers while rescuers climbed ladders and used heavy equipment to cut victims out of the tangled mess.

If the time should come that you find yourself or a relative trying to live through such a nightmare, take heart. Your pain and suffering should not go for nothing. All your medical bills, lost wages, and rehabilitation may be eligible for monetary compensation.

Don’t try to represent yourself to the insurance company. While you get on with healing, contact a personal injury lawyer to handle the details. They know how to stick-handle through all the legal intricacies of a railroad or subway accident. You may be pleasantly surprised at the amount of compensation your accident lawyer can win for you.