Train accident claims the life of reality show contestant

Californians who prefer trains to cars or planes when jaunting up and down the coast can attest that, by and large, trains provide very safe and dependable travel. But this is only true so long as all the various elements that compose a rail system are properly maintained.

In order to lessen the chance of train accidents, engineers, conductors and other technicians must all work in concert to ensure the cars stay firmly set on the tracks. Scheduling is also critical as track maintenance workers must be kept appraised of what trains are where when they are on-site doing their work.

Still, in spite of the best efforts of railway employees, train accidents can and do happen. And when mishaps occur, even the railway employees themselves are not immune from suffering severe or even fatal injuries.

Very recently, a former reality show contestant lost his life when a train he was working on partially derailed. The victim is Caleb Bankston, who had appeared on the Survivor TV series. The incident occurred in Birmingham, Alabama, where Mr. Bankston was working for the Alabama Warrior Railway as a conductor.

A deputy coroner states that Mr. Bankston was hurled from the train car he was on and into a stationary train car which was situated on another track. This occurred as a result of the train derailing to one side as it was backing up.

As of Wednesday morning, investigators for the Federal Railroad Administration were at the location of the incident.

This very sad event bears out the fact that trains are so large and so heavy that once they set to motion, anything in their path is liable to face destruction. If even a seemingly slight miscue occurs, the result can be devastating.

If a loved one sustains a serious injury or is killed in a train accident, then the family is left to find a way to move on. If the company that runs the train is at fault due to poor maintenance of having an unqualified driver at the helm that company should be held responsible for damages.

An Attorney with familiarity in dealing with legal issues stemming from such tragedies may be able to help you get just compensation for your loss.