When major airplane, train and highway accidents occur, it is often standard protocol for the National Transportation Safety Board to conduct investigations. However, during the government shutdown that ran from late December through late January, those investigators were furloughed, resulting in some fatal accidents going uninvestigated.
Nearly the entire NTSB staff was sidelined during the shutdown. This meant that the board had to be extremely selective about the accidents it would investigate with its shoestring staff during the shutdown. Other investigations had to be delayed.
In total, there were nearly two dozen people who died in transportation-related accidents that would have been investigated in normal circumstances, but could not be due to the lack of resources coming from the federal government during the shutdown.
Even now that the shutdown is (temporarily) over, there are still implications that will affect investigations. The investigations do not only identify causes of accidents, but also make recommendations to prevent future accidents. A lack of investigations could mean there are some issues that will be unaddressed, reducing the agency’s ability to prevent future accidents.
Taking action when you’ve been the victim of an accident
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a car accident, it’s important to immediately seek the assistance of an attorney who can advise you through the steps you should take to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages. For further guidance and advice, speak with a skilled Bradenton personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh.