On Tuesday, February 7, 2017, a terrible accident occurred at a railroad crossing in Post Falls. Two teenagers were in a vehicle which was hit by a Union Pacific train while heading to a school event at Post Falls High School. The driver, a 17yr old male, was taken to Kootenai Medical Center. Tragically, his passenger, a 15yr old girl, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Our hearts go out to the family, friends, fellow students, and everyone impacted by this devastating crash.
Who is at fault for this tragic accident?
Just after the accident occurred, someone asked us who was at fault for this accident. It certainly was not the passenger in the vehicle who passed away, but we can not speculate without investigating. At the time of this article, Idaho State Police are still investigating. However… When attorneys are involved in complex cases, they often hire expert witnesses, conduct an in depth analysis, and even reconstruct accidents during the litigation process. When it comes to train accidents, there could be negligence on the part of the driver, train company, or even government agencies. Government agencies may be held accountable for injuries and deaths sustained on Idaho’s roadways, and they include counties such as Kootenai County, states such as Idaho, and even federal authorities. People’s safety depends on proper road design, and a poorly designed road, intersection, or railroad crossing can definitely contribute to injuries and fatalities.
At this particular railroad crossing on North Spokane Street, the railroad crossing lacks railroad crossing lights and gates. While this does not automatically make any particular government agency liable, it is something that anyone injured at this train crossing may want to consider, given the fact that this is the third accident in three years.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident in Post Falls, feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have and we will do our best to answer them for you.
