Ever since the Metrolink train crash in Los Angeles, investigators and Metrolink train accident lawyers have blamed the engineer for the crash. Robert Sanchez, it is now confirmed was text messaging at the controls of the ill-fated train, and further investigations will confirm if this was as much a factor in causing the accident as claimed.

But, what about the Metrolink authorities themselves? It seems very safe to pass on the blame to the dead engineer, and disown all responsibility for their own part in this catastrophic Metrolink train cash.

This is not the first time that we have heard such platitudes from Metrolink or other rail authorities, for that matter. Every time there is a train accident, the terms “human error” or “freak accident” are bandied about liberally. Granted, that there’s always an element of human error whenever you put people in charge of machines, but does the company free itself of all blame?

Let’s look at just a few things that Metrolink didn’t do or, could have done better in the case of the Metrolink train accident in Chatsworth on September 12. We’ve covered most of these factors earlier on our Metrolink train accident attorneys blog. First of all, they resisted the adoption of positive train control technology which, it’s almost certain, could have either prevented the train crash, or at the very least, cut down the number of fatalities and injuries dramatically. Then, there have been revelations about their work schedules, especially the split schedule that Robert Sanchez was on at the time of the train accident in Los Angeles. Sanchez, it has been revealed since the accident, was a diabetic who found it hard to control his blood sugar levels. The possibility that his medical condition had been exacerbated by his long work hours is a very real one. Then, there is the little matter of a seemingly forgotten cell phone ban that seems to have passed the operators of Train 111 by.

To ignore all these facts, and conveniently call this a “freak accident” would be to invite more such Metrolink train crashes on hapless passengers again.

If you have been injured or a loved-one has been killed in the Los Angeles Metrolink train accident, contact The Reeves Law Group. The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of train accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.