PHILADELPHIA — A passenger is suing National Railroad Passenger Corp., which does business as Amtrak, alleging that insufficient measures were taken to prevent injuries to passengers.
Laura Violante filed a complaint March 22 in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. The case was moved to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on June 13.
The plaintiff claims that the company failed to block access to tracks occupied by workers and work vehicles, alleging resulting in an on-track accident with a backhoe.
According to the complaint, Violante was a passenger on an Amtrak train April 3, 2015 when she allegedly sustained severe and debilitating injuries to her neck, right shoulder and back and incurred various expenses for medical care and treatment.
The plaintiff said Amtrak is responsible because an employee allegedly caused the train to travel at an excessive and unsafe speed, resulting in a collision with a backhoe.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks a judgment against the defendant in excess of $50,000, plus interest, costs, attorney's fees and punitive damages. She is represented by Jeffrey Zimmerman and Jeffrey Schmidt of Rovner, Allen, Rovner, Zimmerman and Nash in Feasterville.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case number 2:18-cv-02488-GAM