Find a train accident lawyer in Phoenix: freight crossings and light rail
Phoenix has no Amtrak, so train injuries here come from BNSF or Union Pacific freight or Valley Metro light rail. A light rail claim goes to Valley Metro Risk Management, and Arizona's public claim deadline is 180 days. Other claims generally have 2 years. Injured railroad workers get 3 years.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (28)
Which trains run through Phoenix?
Two kinds, and neither is Amtrak. ADOT's rail plan says Phoenix has no passenger rail service. The closest stop is Maricopa, on the Sunset Limited route. If you were hurt on an Amtrak train, the crash happened somewhere else, and that state's rules will matter.
| Train | Who runs it | First place to go |
|---|---|---|
| BNSF freight | BNSF, which runs a line to Phoenix | Railroad claims department and Phoenix Police report |
| Union Pacific freight | Union Pacific, with terminals in Phoenix and Tucson | Railroad claims department and Phoenix Police report |
| Light rail | Valley Metro Rail, Inc. | Valley Metro Risk Management |
Who is responsible for a railroad crossing in Phoenix?
Usually more than one party. ADOT's plan counts 700 public grade crossings in the state, and 31 percent are passive or have no warning devices. The Arizona Corporation Commission's Railroad Safety Section enforces federal rail standards here. A recent report says it inspected 480 at-grade crossings.
Federal law limits some claims. If a federally funded warning device was in place, state claims about that device can be preempted. Congress did keep some state damage suits alive. A crossing case can turn on who paid for the gates, so a lawyer should pull those records early.
- Call 911. Move away from the tracks.
- Photograph the crossing, the gates and the emergency sign. It tells the public how to report unsafe conditions.
- Ask Phoenix Police for the report on city streets. Use the portal and choose Traffic Crash.
- Write down the time and the train's direction. Railroads keep their own data.
- Do not sign a railroad release before a lawyer reads it.
How do I file a claim after a light rail accident in Phoenix?
Report it first. Rail riders can use the Alert VM app, a security officer or the emergency call buttons. Then file. Valley Metro is a brand, so the name on your claim matters. Valley Metro Rail, Inc. runs the trains. Claims go to Risk Management, 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300, or [email protected].
Treat 180 days as your limit, since a late claim is barred. The claim must state a specific settlement amount. If no one answers in 60 days, it counts as denied. Then you have one year to sue.
If a city vehicle or crew was involved, the City of Phoenix is a separate target. Claims go to the City Clerk at 200 W. Washington Street, 15th Floor.
What if I work for the railroad in Phoenix?
You are likely under a federal law called FELA, not regular workers' comp. Railroads are liable to employees hurt by the company's negligence. The negligence only has to be part of the cause, in whole or in part. You have 3 years to sue. This is different from Arizona comp, which pays no matter who caused the injury.
Contractors at a Phoenix rail yard may fall under Arizona comp instead. Ask your employer which system covers you and keep a copy of any injury report.
Can I make a claim if I was walking on the tracks in Phoenix?
It is hard. Arizona law says a landowner's duty to a trespasser is mostly limited to avoiding intentional, wilful or wanton injury. Your claim has a better chance if you were at a marked crossing, at a light rail stop or on a path the railroad knew people used. Children can have different rights.
What should I ask a train accident lawyer in Phoenix?
- Have you taken a case against a railroad, or against Valley Metro?
- How fast can you send a letter asking the railroad to keep its video and data?
- Is my crossing claim limited by federal law?
- How does Arizona's shared fault rule apply here?
Questions
Does Amtrak stop in Phoenix?
No. ADOT says the closest stop is Maricopa.
Who do I sue after a light rail crash?
Often Valley Metro Rail, Inc., after a notice of claim.
How long do I have after a train crossing crash?
Generally 2 years, but 180 days if a public agency may be at fault.
Who pays a hurt railroad worker?
The railroad, if its negligence helped cause the injury.
Train accident in Phoenix? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (28)
- Arizona Department of Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “Of note is that Phoenix has no passenger rail service with Maricopa on the Sunset Limited route the closest.”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Please note, Valley Metro is a brand name only. Valley Metro Rail, Inc. operates light rail service.”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Valley Metro Attention: Risk Management 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300 Phoenix, AZ 85003”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- 45 U.S.C. 56, checked 2026-11-09. “No action shall be maintained under this chapter unless commenced within three years from the day the cause of action accrued.”
- 45 U.S.C. 51, checked 2026-11-09. “shall be liable in damages to any person suffering injury while he is employed by such carrier”
- 49 CFR Part 234, Subpart E, checked 2026-11-09. “display the information necessary for the public to report an unsafe condition”
- A.R.S. 12-557, checked 2026-11-09. “does not owe a duty of care to a trespasser except to refrain from causing intentional, wilful or wanton injury”
- Arizona Department of Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “BNSF operates across the northern part of the state with a line to Phoenix.”
- Arizona Department of Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “The BNSF transload facilities are both located in Phoenix while the transload terminals served by UPRR are found in Phoenix and Tucson.”
- Arizona Department of Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “Grade crossings along publicly maintained roadways total 700.”
- Arizona Department of Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “31 percent are passive crossings or crossings with no warning devices.”
- Arizona Corporation Commission, checked 2026-11-09. “The Railroad Safety Section enforces Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations and standards relative to track, signal, motive power and equipment, railroad operating practices, and the shipment of hazardous materials by rail.”
- Arizona Corporation Commission, checked 2026-11-09. “Inspected 3,000 miles (98%) of railroad track, 480 (69%) at-grade crossings”
- Norfolk Southern v. Shanklin (U.S. 2000), checked 2026-11-09. “pre-empts state tort claims concerning a railroad's failure to maintain adequate warning devices at crossings where federal funds have participated in the devices' installation”
- 49 U.S.C. 20106, checked 2026-11-09. “Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt an action under State law seeking damages for personal injury, death, or property damage alleging that a party”
- Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “If the report you are requesting was the result of a collision that occurred on a town, city or county road, contact the law enforcement agency in that jurisdiction.”
- phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “The following 10 options are available on the portal to submit Public Record requests:”
- Valley Metro, Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “On rail, riders can use the Alert VM app, speak with a security officer or Customer Experience Representative, or use emergency call buttons on trains or at stations”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “is barred and no action may be maintained thereon”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “The claim shall also contain a specific amount for which the claim can be settled and the facts supporting that amount.”
- A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
- phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “a copy of the claim form to: City of Phoenix City Clerk Department 200 W. Washington Street, 15th Floor Phoenix, AZ 85003”
- 45 U.S.C. 51, checked 2026-11-09. “resulting in whole or in part from the negligence of any of the officers, agents, or employees of such carrier”
- Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “you receive medical and compensation benefits no matter who caused the job-related accident.”
- A.R.S. § 12-502, checked 2026-11-08. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
- A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”