Were you injured in a train accident in Garden City, NY?
At Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP, we hold railroads and transit agencies accountable for the people they injure in Garden City.
If a train or a railroad company’s negligence left you injured, a Garden City, NY train accident lawyer can help you pursue the compensation you are owed. Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP has represented injured New Yorkers for decades, Our attorneys handle claims involving commuter rail, grade crossings, and station platforms. Rail cases often involve a public transit agency and strict, short deadlines that are easy to miss. We identify the responsible parties, preserve the evidence, and file within the time the law allows. Contact our office to arrange a free case review.
Train Accident Lawyer Garden City, NY
A Garden City train accident attorney represents people hurt in railroad incidents, whether they were passengers on a commuter train, pedestrians at a crossing, or drivers struck at a grade crossing. These claims often run against the Long Island Rail Road or another public transit agency, which changes both the deadlines and the procedure. Establishing what the railroad did wrong requires prompt access to signal, maintenance, and operating records. Because a transit agency controls much of that evidence, an early and formal demand for it is often necessary.
New York recorded 37 highway-rail grade crossing collisions in 2025, with four deaths and thirteen injuries, according to Operation Lifesaver data drawn from the Federal Railroad Administration. Nationwide, FRA rail safety data tracks thousands of crossing collisions and trespasser casualties each year. Garden City sits on the Long Island Rail Road, and its stations and crossings place heavy foot and vehicle traffic beside active tracks. A Garden City train accident lawyer works to connect a railroad’s negligence to the harm a rider or pedestrian suffers.
Types of Train Accident Cases We Handle in Garden City
Rail injuries happen in several distinct settings, and each points to different evidence and different responsible parties. Our attorneys take on the situations described here, among others. A Garden City train accident lawyer builds each claim around where and how the injury occurred.
- Grade crossing collisions. A train striking a vehicle at a crossing causes severe injury because of the size and speed involved. We examine the signals, the gates, and the sightlines at the crossing. A missing or malfunctioning gate or signal can establish the railroad’s fault.
- Pedestrian accidents. People struck on or near the tracks make up a large share of rail casualties. We pursue the railroad when a platform or crossing was left unsafe.
- Car accidents. A driver caught on the tracks at a crossing can be hit before there is time to react. These claims often depend on whether the warning devices worked.
- Truck accidents. A large truck stopped or stalled on a crossing faces catastrophic impact. We investigate the crossing design and the railroad’s response.
- Platform and boarding accidents. Gaps, crowding, and sudden movements injure passengers getting on and off trains. A transit agency owes riders a duty to keep platforms reasonably safe.
- Passenger injuries. Derailments, abrupt stops, and collisions injure people riding the train. We pursue the operator responsible for the harm. A common carrier is held to a high standard of care for the passengers it transports.
Why Choose Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP as my Train Accident Lawyer in Garden City, NY?
A Record in Train Platform Litigation
Jeremy Schiowitz argued a landmark appellate case that shaped train platform accident liability in New York, and he has spent more than sixteen years on complex injury claims across Long Island and New York City. Our founder, Martin Schiowitz, has represented injured New Yorkers since 1973 and leads the firm’s serious personal injury and wrongful death work. Both hold Super Lawyers recognition. Rail claims against a transit agency are demanding, and they call for a personal injury lawyer in Garden City, NY with courtroom experience.
Results in Serious Injury and Public-Liability Cases
Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP has recovered over $200 million for injured clients across New York. Our recoveries in serious injury and public-liability cases include:
- $2,000,000 in a government liability claim
- $1,200,000 in a premises liability case
- $900,000 in a car accident claim
- $765,000 in a construction accident case
We handle train accident claims on a contingency basis, so a fee is owed only when we recover for you.
Understanding Train Accident Cases
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Train Accident Cases
New York lets an injured person recover for the economic and non-economic losses a rail crash causes. A train accident claim commonly seeks compensation across several areas:
- Medical treatment and the cost of future care
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering and other non-economic harm
- Long-term care for a permanent injury
Liability in a rail case can fall on the railroad, a transit agency, a contractor, or a driver. Proving liability starts with the crossing, the train’s operating data, and the railroad’s own records. A grade crossing collision may involve a car, a truck, or a motorcyclist. When a rail collision proves fatal, surviving family members may bring wrongful death claims that carry a separate two-year deadline under EPTL § 5-4.1.
Unlike a motor vehicle crash, a train accident is not covered by New York’s No-Fault Law, so the modified comparative negligence rule for auto claims does not apply here. Instead, CPLR § 1411 applies pure comparative negligence, which reduces an injured person’s recovery by their share of fault but does not bar it, even when that share is large. A Garden City train accident attorney documents both the railroad’s fault and the full extent of the injuries. Rail impacts frequently cause a brain injury or spinal damage, which require careful documentation of the long-term effects.
Important Aspects of a Train Accident Case
A few features set rail claims apart, and the deadlines are the most urgent.
- A claim against the Long Island Rail Road or another public transit agency requires a notice of claim within 90 days of the incident, a step with no equivalent in an ordinary lawsuit.
- An injury lawsuit against a public transit agency must then be filed within one year and 90 days under Public Authorities Law § 1276, far shorter than the three years that CPLR 214 allows against a private party.
- Signal data, event recorders, and maintenance logs are held by the railroad and must be requested before they are lost.
Many people reach the Garden City station by car or rideshare, and a crash on the way can support an Uber accident or Lyft accident claim separate from a rail injury. A train accident lawyer moves quickly on the notice-of-claim deadline and on the evidence in the railroad’s hands.
Train Accident Case Timeline
A rail claim moves faster at the start than most cases because of the notice-of-claim deadline, then follows a familiar path.
- Prompt notice of claim when a public agency is involved
- Investigation of the crossing, the train, and the operating records
- A demand presented to the railroad or agency and its insurer
- Negotiation, and a lawsuit if the claim is not resolved
- Discovery and trial when a fair resolution is not offered
We prepare each train accident claim for trial, which strengthens our position in negotiation and at a hearing. A prepared case signals to the railroad that we are ready to take it to a jury.
What to Bring to Your Train Accident Consultation
A few records help our attorneys evaluate a train accident claim at the first meeting. You do not need to gather all of it, and we can request most records for you.
- Any incident or police report from the railroad or responders
- The date, time, and exact location, including the crossing or station
- Photographs of the scene and your injuries
- Medical records and bills you have received
The consultation is free and usually takes under an hour. You will leave knowing whether you have a claim and how the deadline affects your next step. If a public agency is involved, we explain the notice-of-claim window before you leave.
Most Dangerous Locations for Train Accidents in Garden City
Rail risk concentrates at crossings and stations, where people and vehicles meet moving trains. Several locations around Garden City carry that risk along the Long Island Rail Road.
Rail locations in Garden City include:
- The Country Life Press station and its platform
- The Nassau Boulevard station
- Grade crossings along the Hempstead Branch corridor
- Pedestrian paths that cross the tracks
Higher-risk conditions nearby include:
- Crossings where road traffic backs up beside the rail line
- Platforms during crowded commuter hours
- Sightlines blocked by parked vehicles or vegetation
Reach Out to Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP to Schedule a Consultation
If a train or a railroad left you injured, our Garden City train accident attorneys are ready to review your claim and act on the deadlines that apply. The consultation is free, and you owe no fee unless we recover compensation for you. Because a rail claim against a public agency is subject to a short deadline, an early conversation helps preserve your options. Contact us to get started on your case.
