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Death Toll Rises from DC Metro Train Crash

By Emily Mapp Brannon

The number of casualties from the June 22, 2009 Washington, DC Metro crash is now officially up to 9. It is the worst accident in the 33-year history of the Metrorail system.

When the DC Metro crash initially occurred, reports indicated four people died, but that number has steadily increased with further examination by police and other investigative agencies.

The accident involved two metro trains colliding into each other. Though, the trains were markedly different in terms of design features and safety. The train that was hit was a relatively new train, while the train that hit it was one of Metro's oldest vehicles, according to USA Today.

Here is a video providing details of the DC Metro crash…

Video

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) discovered that older trains possessed "a fundamental flaw" in their design which put passengers at a higher risk in a collision, according to USA Today.

NTSB recommended Metro either upgrade its older trains or refrain from using them. Metro did neither and Debbie Hersmann, a spokeswoman for NTSB, said Metro's response was "unacceptable" towards their recommendation for upgrades or phase out.

The disparity in design and technology could help explain how and why this tragic accident occurred. Our firm has written about potential causes of the DC Metro crash and how this could have been prevented.

As stated earlier, this is just the second crash in Metrorail's history. In 1982, three people died and 25 were injured when a train derailed underground downtown.

I want to take a moment to send out my heart-felt condolences to the friends and family members who lost loved ones in this horrible accident. The pain from losing someone you love is virtually impossible to describe in words. But what we need to do now is fully examine what happened and implore Metro officials to take the necessary steps to prevent such a horrendous accident from ever happening again.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.

PA

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Emily Mapp Brannon

Full post as published by Norfolk-Portsmouth Personal Injury Lawyer on June 23, 2009 (boomark / email).