Houston Train Accident Lawyer
A train crash in Houston is rarely a fair fight. On one side sits a railroad or transit agency with investigators on the scene within hours, lawyers on retainer, and an insurer that starts building its defense before you have left the hospital. On the other side is you, hurt and trying to piece together what just happened. If you or someone in your family was hurt by a METRORail train, a freight train at a crossing, or while working for a railroad, a Houston train accident lawyer at The Buzbee Law Firm can tell you exactly where you stand. Contact us online for a free evaluation of your case.
We are trial lawyers first. We do not sign clients and hand them off to someone else, and we do not treat a railroad’s opening offer as the finish line. Call 800-992-5393, and we will give you an honest read on what your claim is worth and what it will take to win it.
Why Injured Houstonians Trust Our Firm With Train Cases
Railroads and transit agencies count on people giving up early. They know these cases turn on federal rules, government immunity, and evidence that sits on their own property. Our firm built its name by taking powerful defendants into the courtroom and beating them, and we bring that same posture to rail cases, whether the opponent is a Class I freight carrier like Union Pacific or BNSF, a light rail operator, or a railroad employer.
You can look through our record of verdicts and settlements to see how we handle defendants with deep pockets and something to hide. You can also hear how we take these fights apart on our podcast, Swimming With the Sharks. We prepare every case as if it is going to trial, because that is usually what produces a serious result.
Train Crashes We Handle Across Houston
Rail injuries in this city take several forms, and each one carries its own rules:
- METRORail collisions: Light rail strikes involving motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and injured passengers.
- Freight and crossing crashes: Collisions with Union Pacific, BNSF, and other trains at grade crossings around the region.
- Pedestrian and cyclist strikes: People are hit near the tracks, often where sightlines or warnings were poor.
- Railroad worker injuries: On-the-job injuries are covered by federal law instead of workers’ compensation.
- Passenger injuries: People are hurt aboard a train or while boarding and exiting.
Why Houston’s Rails Are So Dangerous
Houston is one of the busiest freight rail hubs in the country, with hundreds of crossings feeding the Port of Houston and the industrial corridor that surrounds it. Layer on the METRORail Red Line, which runs at street level straight through the Texas Medical Center along Main and Fannin, and you get constant contact between trains and ordinary traffic.
That at-grade design gave the Red Line a reputation as one of the most collision-prone light rail lines in the nation, a pattern that has shown up repeatedly in Federal Transit Administration safety data. Most of those wrecks trace back to tight sightlines, confusing turn restrictions, and drivers who misjudge a train’s speed. When a railroad or transit agency ignores a known hazard, the crash that follows is not simply bad luck.
Who Answers for a Houston Train Crash
The right defendant depends on how you were hurt, and so do the deadlines.
Freight railroads owe a duty to keep crossings reasonably safe, which covers working gates and lights, clear sightlines, and speeds suited to the area. When a crossing was poorly maintained or a signal failed, the railroad can be held liable.
METRO is a different animal. As a governmental unit, the transit authority is shielded by the Texas Tort Claims Act, which allows certain claims, such as those from the operation of its trains, but only if you give written notice quickly under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 101.101 and stay within the damage limits set by Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 101.023. Miss that notice window, and a strong case can disappear on a technicality.
Railroad employees have their own route entirely. If you were hurt working for a railroad, you are generally not on workers’ compensation at all. The Federal Employers’ Liability Act lets you sue your employer for negligence and recover far more than comp would ever pay, and even a small share of railroad fault is enough to hold the company responsible for your full claim.
Deadlines That Can End Your Case
Rail claims die on the calendar more often than on the facts. Keep these in view:
- Two-year Texas deadline: Most injury and wrongful death claims must be filed within two years under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003.
- Government notice: Claims against METRO or another public entity can demand written notice within six months or less.
- FELA claims: Railroad workers generally have three years to file under federal law.
- Shared fault: Texas cuts your recovery by your percentage of responsibility under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001 and bars it once your share of fault is more than 50%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Investigates a Houston Train Accident?
Depending on the crash, the railroad, METRO, Houston police, and sometimes federal agencies all take a look. The catch is that the railroad’s team works for the railroad, which is why putting your own investigator on it early matters so much.
The Driver Turned in Front of the Train. Do You Still Have a Case?
Often, yes. Even when another motorist made a mistake, a railroad or transit agency can share fault for weak warnings, blocked sightlines, or unsafe speed, and Texas lets you recover a reduced amount when responsibility is split.
What Will a Train Accident Lawyer Cost You Upfront?
Nothing. Our firm takes these cases on a contingency fee, so you pay no legal fee unless we recover for you, and the first consultation is free. You may still be responsible for certain case expenses regardless of outcome.
Talk to a Houston Train Accident Lawyer Today
Evidence from a train crash does not wait. Onboard data gets overwritten, crossings get repaired, and notice deadlines expire while you are still healing. The sooner someone is guarding your side of the story, the stronger your position. Our team at The Buzbee Law Firm is built to stand toe to toe with railroads and transit agencies and carry your case as far as it needs to go. Contact us online or call 800-992-5393 for a free, honest look at what happened.