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Indiana City Trash Truck Driver Injured at Dangerous, Unguarded Norfolk Southern Crossing

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC |

(Muncie, Indiana – June 6, 2016)

The unsuspecting driver of a Muncie Sanitary District garbage truck was seriously injured just after 8:00 A.M. Monday morning when a 23-car-long Norfolk Southern train struck his truck at the dangerous and unguarded road/rail intersection of Robin Lane and NS tracks just north of the Kohl’s Store and the Muncie Mall in Muncie, IN.  The driver likely never saw nor heard the train which caused heavy damage, described by the news media as “a crumpled mess.”

The unidentified city employee was rushed to Indiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries.

The crossing of Robin Lane and NS tracks has no automatic warning and safety devices like flashing lights or crossing gates, even though the Federal Railroad Administration says 31 trains cross there on an average day at speeds as high as 60 mph. The crossing was also the site of a non-injury collision several years ago. It is virtually certain that if this crossing was equipped with lights and gates, this collision and the six before it would not have happened. Both Norfolk Southern and Operation Lifesaver all know that lights and gates are the most effective type of protection at railroad crossings. Studies that have been conducted over fifty years ago confirm that lights and gates offer the ability to drastically reduce the number of vehicle/train accidents by as much as 96%.


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I have had the opportunity to work as co-counsel with Nathan on several railroad crossing accidents cases. In each case, Nathan always possessed an incredible knowledge of the law and the facts, possessed a great talent for aggressive - strategic legal planning and trial tactics while, at the same time, displaying great skill as an effective negotiator. I would recommend him to anyone without hesitation.

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Jon C. Clark Austin, Texas

Bob Pottroff has fought for the victims of the railroads’ callous disregard for safety more than any other attorney that I know. I should know because I am currently Chair-elect of the Railroad Section of ATLA.

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Mr. Pottroff has shaken the rail industry to its very roots. Settlements are now more common as a result of the way he has exposed the industry’s wrongdoing.

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