Clifford Law Offices Files Suit Against Metra in Weekend Train Crash

Robert Clifford and Clifford Law Offices today (Monday, Sept. 19) filed a lawsuit against Metra on behalf of a woman who was injured in Saturday’s crash when a conductor was speeding along the Rock Island line while changing tracks. The law firm also is asking the court in an Emergency Motion for a protective order to preserve all records pertaining to the crash including information regarding the train signals, maintenance records, any dispatch tapes and radio transmissions and locomotive event records (the black box).

Bernadette J. Jochens, 32, of Mokena was in the third car reading a newspaper while heading into work downtown when she felt the train veer back and forth. She braced herself and was thrown from her seat, suffering neck, back and shoulder injuries. She was taken by her husband to Palos Community Hospital where she was treated and released. She is unable to work and is under the care of a doctor. Jochens is a legal assistant at a major Chicago law firm.

"This incident is a tragic example of reckless disregard for the lives and safety of passengers," Clifford said with the filing of the negligence lawsuit Monday afternoon. "We intend to conduct a full investigation and have experts on hand who will evaluate just what went wrong."