Metrolink Train Crash Victim Represented by SSJ is Awarded $2,000,000
In a lawsuit brought against Metrolink, Connex, and other Defendants, a train passenger and his wife represented by Solomon, Saltsman & Jamieson have been awarded $2,000,000 in a recent Los Angeles superior court judgment. The law firm is pleased to have been given the opportunity to succesfully represent this couple in this serious matter.
Stephen A. Jamieson, a partner at Solomon, Saltsman & Jamieson, and Soheyl Tahsildoost, an Associate at the firm, prepared and submitted to Judge Lichtman a comprehensive damages evaluation. Injuries suffered included a fractured tibia, compression fractures of the spine, deep wounds on his legs, hematoma, tearing of cartilage in the knee, large joint effusions, cartilage delamination, numerous cuts and bruises, and other injuries. The case was tried to Judge Lichtman on damages.
The clients were injured as a result of a 2008 collision between a commuter train owned by Metrolink and operated by Connex which collided head on with a freight train. Both trains were travelling at approximately 40 miles per hour. Evidence reflected that the conductor of the Metrolink train was texting from his cell phone minutes before the train crash and missed a red light on the tracks. Twenty-four individuals perished in the crash, and nearly 100 others were injured.
As a result of a statutory maximum set by Congress, the maximum that could be recovered by all the victims of this tragic event in total is $200,000,000. Judge Licthman was tasked with allocating among the 124 victims and their families. Judge Lichtman likened this task to “triaging,” whereby he was forced to distribute an inadequate amount among many deserving and badly injured or deceased victim’s families. His own original tentative awards were $64 million in excess of the $200 million cap on recovery.
With over 100 years of combined experience the Law Firm of Solomon, Saltsman & Jamieson have achieved many exceptional results in many areas of the law including, but not limited to, obtaining compensation for clients who have suffered serious personal injuries including brain injuries, spinal injuries, broken bones, paralysis, resulting from different types of motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, and all types of negligence and intentional actions and omissions, caused by transportation agencies and companies, and others.