The NTSB issued an update today on the investigation of the derailment of Amtrak 188. This statement focuses on the current evidence of whether the engineer was using his cell phone while operating the locomotive on his shift the evening of the derailment. The NTSB stated, “Analysis of the phone records does not indicate that any calls, texts, or data usage occurred during the time the engineer was operating the train.” Further, they have established that the engineer did not log on to Amtrak’s onboard wifi system. The NTSB is still determining whether the phone was in “airplane mode”, turned off or being used for any other purpose that did not require data/wifi.
The NTSB has set up an information page on its website to gather all of the information related to this derailment. You can find the page here.
As previously stated on this blog, more information is necessary before making conclusions about the cause of this derailment. However, due to time limitations and potential damage caps, having an experienced attorney on your side during the investigation is important. If you or a loved one have been injured in a train accident or derailment, please contact us today via our website or by telephone at 1-800-374-2144 to speak with an experienced injury attorney.