Pedestrian Killed In Brookfield Metra Train Accident at Maple Avenue Crossing

Wrongful Death - April 26, 2025

Investigation Underway After Pedestrian Died in Collision With Metra Train in Brooklyn Near the Maple Avenue Railroad Crossing

BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS (April 26, 2025) – A pedestrian has tragically died in a Brookfield Metra train accident by the Maple Avenue railroad crossing.

Brookfield officials are saying that the accident took place around 7:48 PM on Wednesday. A male pedestrian may have been walking when he was struck by the metro train.

Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victim. Despite life-saving measures, he was pronounced dead due to the severe nature of his injuries.

No foul play is suspected in the fatal collision. This is the second fatal collision involving a metro train in the past week.

Another pedestrian was killed in a Metra train accident in Westmont, Illinois.

Liability for Brookfield Train Accidents

Trains can be deceptively dangerous and are involved in many serious collisions every year. According to the National Safety Council, “Railroad deaths totaled 995 in 2023, a 10% increase from the 2022 revised total of 908 and the highest since 2007. Nonfatal injuries totaled 6,705, a 3% increase from the 2022 revised total of 6,513.” Train operators should take a number of measures in order to avoid fatal collisions.

• Scan: Train operators should continuously scan the tracks ahead of them for potential hazards.
• Speed Limits: Trains have speed limits in much the same way that vehicles do. Train operators must ensure that they are traveling through residential areas at safe speeds.
• Horn: Train operators must use their horn to alert pedestrians and drivers of their presence when this becomes necessary.

Train operators have a legal obligation to exercise due care in order to avoid hitting pedestrians on train tracks. They must slow down when necessary and use their horn at times. If a train operator fails to take reasonable measures to avoid a collision with a pedestrian, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. It doesn’t matter if a pedestrian was simply standing on a set of tracks. Train operators are simply not at liberty to go forward as normal.

The company that owned or operated a set of train tracks could potentially be liable for an accident. This may be the case if an accident was caused by a dangerous condition with the train tracks. Consider, for example, Schaffner v. Chicago & NW Transp. Co. A 15-year-old boy was seriously injured after he fell from his bicycle while attempting to cross a set of train tracks. Attorneys for the plaintiff argued that the tracks were negligently maintained. A jury ultimately sided with the plaintiff. It is important that certain steps are taken after any train accident.

• All medical records related to the accident should be preserved.
• Surveillance footage that may have captured the accident should be sought.
• Eyewitnesses that may have seen what happened should be interviewed.
• An experienced train accident attorney should be contacted.

It can be hard to know where to begin if you’ve lost a loved one in a train accident. To make matters worse, the police will often blame the victims for these collisions. But the fact of the matter is that train operators must take reasonable measures to avoid pedestrians and vehicles on train tracks. In far too many situations, this does not take place. The family of any person who died in a train accident may be able to see some measure of accountability through a wrongful death claim.

Investigating Brookfield Train Accidents

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of the person who died in this Brookfield train accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police. It is deeply concerning that this is the second pedestrian accident involving a Metra train in less than a week.

Do you need more information about a Brookfield train accident? Our team of pedestrian safety advocates is here to assist you in any way that we can. We are committed to helping victims understand their legal rights. We can investigate the unique facts of any train accident and determine if one or more parties could potentially be liable for what happened. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we are here for you. You can contact us anytime at (312) 564-4256.