The London Underground transports more than a billion passengers every year, at a rate of approximately three million passengers per week. It is inevitable that with this amount of traffic , accidents will occur on the network.

The value of a personal injury compensation claim depends on the severity of the symptoms, the length of time taken to recover and whether or not there are any residual long term symptoms. For all compensation claims it is important that injuries are documented by health care professionals and if you are injured you should ensure that you attend your doctor or a hospital as soon as the symptoms become obvious. The record of your injury will be used in assessing the value of your claim.

Know your rights
The passengers on a Tube Train are entitled to claim compensation for any injuries suffered as a result of any collision that the train may have or indeed any derailment. You may even be entitled to claim if you become injured when the Train performs an unexpected manoeuvre such as overshooting the platform or, reversing in an unexpected and excessive manner.

Potential causes of tube train accidents:

• Platform overcrowding
• Alighting from/or getting onto the Train
• Faulty tracks
• Negligent driving
• Train collision
• Vehicle failure

Injuries
Accidents involving trains are becoming more and more frequent. As these accidents have now become an integral part of everyday life, they should not be taken lightly because it can prove to be highly dangerous and problematic.

There are several types of injuries that an individual can suffer including:

• Broken bones
• Fractures
• Head injuries
• Neck injuries and back injuries
• Whiplash

Tips for avoiding injuries
There are a few you things you can do to avoid the risk of sustaining passenger injuries in a Tube Train crash. It is always a good idea to be seated if a seat is available. This way, in the event of any collision or sudden breaking, you are less likely to be thrown around inside the train.

Keeping your personal belongings secure, just as you would when travelling by plane, is another good method to reduce your chances of suffering passenger injuries. So storing bags under seats or in any specialised luggage compartments for the duration of your journey will help keep you and your fellow train passengers free from personal injury.

What to do after an accident...

• Inform the driver or any other official such as an inspector of the accident as soon as possible. Make a note of the name and number of that person and ensure that they note your name, address and injuries.


• Keep your ticket - Although there is a high probability of CCTV on the vehicle, you may still need to establish that you were a passenger. You can do this by providing your ticket or receipt for that journey.


• Get medical advice for your injuries from a hospital or your GP. Keeping a diary of your pain and medication is recommended.


• Collect any names and addresses from witnesses who saw the accident take place

Accident time limitation
The Tube Train accident must have happened within the past three years in order to make a compensation claim. If you were under the age of 18 when the Train accident happened, the three year period starts on the date you turned 18 years old. If the three year limitation period has passed, you would not be able to make a compensation claim.