Find a train accident lawyer in Scottsdale: who owns the rail and how to claim
We could not find a train line inside Scottsdale, so the first job is to find out who owns the track. Valley Metro light rail claims go to its Risk Management office in Phoenix. Claims against a public agency are due in 180 days. A suit against a private railroad generally has a 2-year deadline.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (26)
Are there trains in Scottsdale that can hurt you?
Few that we could confirm. Valley Metro describes its light rail as an A Line from Gilbert Rd/Main St to the Downtown Hub and a B Line from Metro Parkway to Baseline/Central Ave. That description does not list a Scottsdale station. We also could not find a list of freight rail crossings inside Scottsdale.
So a Scottsdale resident is usually hurt on a train or at a crossing in another city, such as Tempe, Mesa or Phoenix. The only train the city runs itself is the miniature railroad at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. Nationally, crossings see more than 2,000 incidents and 200 deaths a year, and trespassing is the leading cause of rail deaths.
Who pays if a train hurts you near Scottsdale?
| Type of train | Who is responsible | Where the claim goes |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Metro light rail | Valley Metro Rail, Inc. runs light rail; a separate authority runs buses | Risk Management, 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300, Phoenix, or [email protected] |
| Freight train at a crossing | The railroad company | A lawsuit within 2 years |
| City park miniature train | City of Scottsdale | A notice of claim within 180 days |
Valley Metro has its own clock. If it does not respond within 60 days of your submission, you can assume the claim was denied. Each person needs a separate form. Do not file only with the state railroad office. ADOT's railroad section does not oversee Valley Metro light rail.
What can slow down a claim against a freight railroad?
Federal law. A federal rule can block state claims about warning devices at crossings built with federal money, and about excessive train speed. Congress did keep some state damage suits alive, such as ones about a party's own violation of a federal rule or its own safety plan. A lawyer can tell you which kind of claim yours is.
A railroad is also not told to keep its proof forever. After a reportable accident it must preserve event recorder data, but that duty ends 1 year after the accident unless a federal agency asks for more. The sooner someone sends a written request, the better.
If the person hurt was walking on the tracks, Arizona's duty is narrower. The owner owes a trespasser only a duty not to cause intentional, wilful or wanton injury.
Who do you tell about a blocked or unsafe crossing near Scottsdale?
- A train blocking the road: report it to the Federal Railroad Administration.
- An unsafe crossing: call the number on the blue sign at the crossing. Those signs must give the public a way to report unsafe conditions.
- A crossing record: ADOT keeps the statewide railroad crossing inventory.
What should you do after a train accident near Scottsdale?
- Get care first. HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn is a state-designated Level I trauma center, and so is St. Joseph's in Phoenix.
- Photograph the crossing, the signals and the train. Copy the crossing number from the blue sign.
- Get the report number from the police agency that came. In Scottsdale that is Scottsdale Police.
- Write down the railroad name and the train number if you can see it.
- Send Valley Metro a claim within 180 days if light rail was involved. Ask a lawyer to send a written preservation request to the railroad.
Questions
How long do I have to sue after a train accident near Scottsdale?
Generally 2 years. If a public agency is responsible, you must file a claim within 180 days, and sue within 1 year after that.
Does Scottsdale have light rail?
Valley Metro's described A and B Lines do not list a Scottsdale station. Check the current system map before you rely on that.
What if I was hurt on the miniature train in the park?
The park is run by the city's Parks & Recreation Department, so a claim against the city is due in 180 days.
Can a railroad be sued for a blocked crossing?
A blocked crossing can be reported to the Federal Railroad Administration, but a damage claim depends on what the blockage caused and who is responsible.
Train accident in Scottsdale? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (26)
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Valley Metro Attention: Risk Management 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300 Phoenix, AZ 85003”
- A.R.S. § 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”
- Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “If you do not receive a response to your claim within sixty (60) days of your submission, you can assume that the claim has been denied.”
- Arizona Department of Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “You can report blocked crossings directly to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)”
- 49 CFR 229.135, checked 2026-11-09. “This preservation requirement shall expire one (1) year after the date of the accident”
- Valley Metro, checked 2026-11-09. “The system now consists of an A Line operating east to west from Gilbert Rd/Main St to the Downtown Hub and a B Line operation from Metro Parkway to Baseline/Central Ave.”
- McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, checked 2026-11-09. “Take a ride on the Paradise & Pacific Railroad and the 1950-vintage Allan Herschell carousel.”
- Federal Railroad Administration, checked 2026-11-09. “Nationally, more than 2,000 incidents and 200 fatalities at grade crossings occur each year.”
- Federal Railroad Administration, checked 2026-11-09. “Trespassing is the leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States.”
- 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.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- Arizona Department of Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “does not have any oversight of the Valley Metro light rail”
- 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”
- CSX v. Easterwood (U.S. 1993), checked 2026-11-09. “only insofar as it asserts that CSX's train was traveling at an excessive speed”
- 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”
- 49 CFR 229.135, checked 2026-11-09. “preserve the data recorded by each such device for analysis by FRA”
- 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”
- 49 CFR Part 234, Subpart E, checked 2026-11-09. “display the information necessary for the public to report an unsafe condition”
- Arizona Department of Transportation, checked 2026-11-09. “Managing the Statewide Railroad Crossing Inventory”
- Arizona Department of Health Services, Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “7400 E. Osborn, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 10/27/24 10/27/27”
- Arizona Department of Health Services, checked 2026-11-09. “St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85013”
- 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.”
- A.R.S. 12-542, checked 2026-11-09. “there shall be commenced and prosecuted within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
- McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, checked 2026-11-09. “The McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is operated by the city of Scottsdale’s Parks & Recreation Department.”