• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Law Call - Reeves & Mestayer

Reeves & Mestayer | Personal Injury Attorneys in Biloxi

Biloxi Attorneys

  • Home
  • About
    • Legal Links
  • Attorney Profiles
    • Jim Reeves
    • Matthew G. Mestayer
    • Mark Lumpkin (of Counsel)
  • Practice Areas
    • Termite Litigation Lawyers
    • Personal Injury Lawyers in Biloxi
      • Pascagoula Personal Injury
      • Motor Vehicle Accidents
        • Truck Accidents
        • Motorcycle Accidents
          • Gulfport Motorcycle Accident
          • Pascagoula Motorcycle Accidents
        • Drunk Driving Accidents
      • Pedestrian Injuries
      • Bicycle Accidents
      • Amputation Injuries
      • Burn Injuries
    • Cases On Behalf Of Injured Veterans
    • Wrongful Death
      • Gulfport Wrongful Death
      • Pascagoula Wrongful Death
    • Product Liability
      • Zantac Litigation
      • Elmiron Litigation
      • Taxotere Lawsuit Attorneys
      • Valsartan Lawsuit Attorneys
    • Maritime Law and Offshore Injuries
    • Catastrophic Injuries
      • Spinal Cord Injury
      • Traumatic Brain Injury
    • Premises Liability
      • Slip and Fall Accident Claims
      • Negligent Security Claims
      • Dog Bite Lawyer
    • Workers’ Compensation
      • Construction Accidents
    • Consumer Fraud
      • Corporate Fraud
      • Finance Fraud
    • Bad Faith Insurance
      • Other Insurance Fraud Cases
    • Medical Malpractice
      • Types Of Medical Malpractice
      • Medical Malpractice Damages
    • Whistleblower Claims
    • Nursing Home Abuse
    • Business Interruption Claims
    • Surrounding Areas
      • Gulfport Car Accident
      • Pascagoula Car Accident
      • Pascagoula Pedestrian Accident
  • Results
  • Videos
  • Blog
  • Reviews
    • Reeves & Mestayer – Client Video Testimonials
  • Contact
Free Consultation 1-855-558-2977

We have recovered over
$1 Billion
in compensation for our clients

Aggressive
We are persistent, proactive, and ready to fight for our clients' interests

Ethical
While we are aggressive, we always play by the rules and honesty is the foundation of what we do

Experience
We have extensive courtroom and trial experience putting our clients in the best position for success

Reeves & Mestayer is rated
Highest in Legal Abilities & Ethics
by Martindale-Hubbell

Reeves & Mestayer is listed as
One of the Preeminent Law Firms
in America

Reeves & Mestayer has obtained
Record Verdicts & Settlements
for their clients

BP oil spill class action recovery of
$70 Million
We handled thousands of BP claims throughout the Gulf South and was named by the Court to serve on the Economic and Property Damages Committee in the Multi-District Litigation

Defective product recovery of
$55 Million
After being injured or killed by defective tires, we fought to get 75 passengers and drivers the settlement they deserved

Car accident settlement of
$12 Million
After 5 people were killed in a multi-vehicle collision, their families turned to Reeves & Mestayer for help. We fought to get them the settlement they deserved

State of Mississippi tobacco litigation
$13 Million
Reeves & Mestayer law firm gained this verdict for the State of Mississippi to correct wrongful calculations related to the Mississippi tobacco settlement

Defective Product Settlement of
$1 Billion
We fought for 14,000 plaintiffs and 1,000 defendants hurt by Chinese-manufactured drywall products

November 2, 2021 By Jim Reeves

Hazards Drivers Face at Railroad Crossings

When you first attend driving classes, you spend what seems like an unreasonable amount of time learning how to cross railroad crossings safely and efficiently. This seems like a basic task, but there’s a good reason that driving instructors spend so much time on it—it’s one of the most dangerous things a driver can do.

Although standards for railroad crossings were created with safety in mind, you get a slightly different experience at each one. At one, you may get a verbal notification that the gates are closing, the gates dropping in a timely manner, and bright flashing lights. At another, the gates may come partially down and stop, still leaving room for cars and pedestrians to sneak through. It is crucial to be extra cautious while driving through and around railroad crossings.

If you’ve been injured in a train accident, it’s possible that a malfunctioning railroad crossing is the cause. You may be entitled to compensation. Learn more about your legal options now by calling Reeves & Mestayer at 228-374-5151.

Quiet Alarm Sounds and Notifications

Quiet notifications and alarms are extremely dangerous for drivers. This is often the fault of city planners. In response to complaints that train alarms and whistles are too loud for surrounding residents and businesses, they drop the volume to make the area more pleasant. However, this has the side effect of making the railroad crossing less safe. To be truly effective, alarms and verbal notifications must be loud enough to override the sounds of the surrounding area.

Lagging or Dysfunctional Gates

Gates that do not close on time or do not close fully are a significant issue for drivers and pedestrians. While drivers know that they should not attempt to cross the train tracks after the lights have started flashing, too many consider it worth the risk to sneak under a slow-closing railroad gate. This puts them at risk of being either hit by a train or having the gate close on their car, leaving them stuck on the tracks.

Malfunctioning Electronic Warning Signs

Many railroad crossings now have additional signs and warnings to provide additional protection and help those with disabilities. For example, verbal alarms that state that the gates are closing are helpful for blind pedestrians. Large signs announcing when the gates are closing provide another reminder for distracted drivers. The more warnings you have, the more drivers come to rely on them. When the warnings malfunction one day, it is easy for drivers to miss the other notifications and possibly put themselves in danger.

Overgrown Trees and Bushes

The area around railroad crossings should be kept visually tidy and free of clutter. When left untended, it’s common for crossings to become plagued by overgrown bushes and trees that make it difficult to see when a train is approaching. This is a particularly common issue in smaller rural areas, where railway maintenance may not be a top priority. Ideally, these areas should be maintained often enough that drivers always have a clear view of oncoming trains.

Trains Parked on Railways

At the end of a run, trains should always be parked in a designated depot or terminal. Trains that regularly park on the railway create unnecessary dangers for drivers. Drivers get used to the sight of a non-moving train on the railway, which makes them think it’s safe to cross. When they finally encounter a moving train on the railway, it may take them time to realize that it’s not parked. Everything a train does should be designed to make drivers cautious around them and leaving trains on the railway is simply not a good idea.

Discuss Your Train Accident Claim with Reeves & Mestayer

Unfortunately, train accidents remain relatively common in the United States. As states and cities move to make railroad crossings safer and drive down crash rates, it is important to know what your rights are if you are involved in a collision. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, property damage, and other losses. To discuss your claim in greater detail and make a plan, call Reeves & Mestayer at 228-374-5151 or fill out our online contact form. We look forward to assisting you.

Share this:

Filed Under: car accident Tagged With: railroad crossings

Primary Sidebar

Verdicts & Settlements

$156M
Settlement in a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of pensioners of the Singing River Pension Plan.
$55M
On behalf of 75 passengers and drivers injured or killed in tire defect/rollover cases
$22M
On behalf of seven investors defrauded of their life savings
$12M
On behalf of five people killed in a multi-vehicle collision
$10M
On behalf of children and teachers poisoned by defective spray roofing
$5.5M
Verdict on behalf of a woman who was abducted and raped in a K-Mart parking lot because the store provided no security
$6M
Settlement on behalf of an orthopedic surgeon killed during a scuba diving excursion. Believed to be a record settlement for a dive accident in the Bahamas.
$1M
Verdict on behalf of a women who did not receive timely treatment and died as a result of her injuries.

Archives

  • May 2023 (3)
  • April 2023 (3)
  • March 2023 (4)
  • February 2023 (2)
  • January 2023 (3)
  • December 2022 (3)
  • November 2022 (3)
  • October 2022 (4)
  • September 2022 (1)
  • August 2022 (2)
  • July 2022 (2)
  • June 2022 (2)
  • May 2022 (1)
  • April 2022 (1)
  • March 2022 (2)
  • February 2022 (1)
  • January 2022 (1)
  • December 2021 (3)
  • November 2021 (2)
  • October 2021 (2)
  • August 2021 (1)
  • July 2021 (1)
  • June 2021 (3)
  • May 2021 (1)
  • April 2021 (3)
  • March 2021 (2)
  • January 2021 (1)
  • December 2020 (1)
  • November 2020 (2)
  • October 2020 (1)
  • September 2020 (3)
  • August 2020 (1)
  • July 2020 (3)
  • June 2020 (1)
  • May 2020 (3)
  • April 2020 (1)
  • February 2020 (1)
  • December 2019 (2)
  • November 2019 (1)
  • October 2019 (1)
  • August 2019 (1)
  • July 2019 (1)
  • June 2019 (1)
  • April 2019 (1)
  • March 2019 (1)
  • February 2019 (1)
  • July 2017 (1)
  • June 2017 (1)
  • May 2017 (3)
  • September 2016 (1)
  • June 2016 (2)
  • April 2016 (1)
  • February 2016 (1)
  • January 2016 (2)
  • December 2015 (1)
  • October 2015 (1)
  • September 2015 (1)
  • August 2015 (1)
  • April 2015 (1)
  • March 2015 (10)
  • February 2015 (1)
  • January 2015 (1)
  • December 2014 (4)
  • November 2014 (3)
  • October 2014 (1)
  • March 2014 (8)
  • January 2014 (1)

Blog Categories

  • Biloxi Attorneys Law Blog (42)
  • car accident (28)
  • community (1)
  • Personal Injury (44)
  • product liability (1)
  • Product Recalls (1)
  • real estate (1)
  • workers compensation (3)

Footer

Free Case Evaluation

  • * ~ Required fields
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Read the Reeves & Mestayer Blog
Review Us
Reeves & Mestayer

Reeves & Mestayer, PLLC
160 Main St
Biloxi, MS 39530

Toll free: 1-855-558-2977
Phone: 228-374-5151
Fax: 228-374-6630

  • Home
  • About
  • Attorney Profiles
  • Practice Areas
  • Results
  • Videos
  • Blog
  • Reviews
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 Biloxi Personal Injury Lawyers Reeves & Mestayer & Too Darn Loud Marketing · All Rights Reserved