Passenger Trains > Need help with a phone number due to an accident

Recently my wife and I had a good trip on Amtrak, making a round trip to Spokane, then Sac, then home to Indy.  For me it was great, for her it was a time of pain.  Here is the story.  When we were boarding #7 in Chi, the Red Cap drove his cart in back of us.  A large bag was not put into the cage straight and was sticking out.  Of course we did not see this and he was careless, and the bag hit my leg and I looked up only to see what was going on, when the bag hit my wife and knocked her forward. Had she not had her walker to catch her she would have landed on the concrete.  I yelled for the Red Cap to stop.  He stopped, came back to us, said he was sorry, picked up the bag that had come out, and went on his way.  My wife was crying and hurting.  That was Oct 7.  We made a report with the Conductor and have a copy.  He was super nice but that did not help my wife.  it ruined her trip.  She spent most of the time in our bed room laying in the bed, she could not walk the train, thus no lounge car for her.  We were able to get her to meals.  We thought the hurting was letting up the first week of our month trip, but it was not.  We got home last Sunday night, and this week she went to the Doc and we found no broken bones.  However, she will be in pain for months due to streached muscles.  

Now the question.  I think I need to call Amtrak and see if I can get my money back, or a future ticket, or part money back.  I need a phone number to call.  I can call USARail, but is there another number I can go to to make things easier.  What should I ask for.  What do you think my chances are getting some help? Is there anything else I need when I call.

Thanks for the help.  I want to call tomorrow or Tuesday.

You should get legal advice it you want compensation for medical bills, lost work, pain and suffering. If all you want is a refund or credit towards a future trip call the 800 number and ask for Customer Service. I have seen people who had a bad trip get satisfaction from Amtrak Customer Service for less serious situations. I hope the conductor gave you a copy of the report. Hang on to it if you decide to see a lawyer.

John Webb
Trinidad, CA

If you want any kind of compensation from Amtrak you need to get a lawyer before you make any kind of contact with Amtrak.
They'll have their lawyers, you need to have yours if you want any kind of a fair fight.
And you really should have done something about this when it happened and not waited until now.
If you end up in court this will be brought up and probably not in a way that's in your favor.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/19 17:37 by PHall.

Give him credit for filing a report. He does not want to sue, but in all honesty if they give him want he wants they'll probably make him sign off any liability to Amtrak.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/19 17:47 by wabash2800.

I don't want a lawyer, just a refund if possible.  Yes we have a copy of the report.  We were getting on the train and could not do anything about it unless we wanted to lose our bedroom, which we didn't.  I will try custmer service tomorrow.  Maybe they can help.  Thanks to all for the advice.

Contact Amtrak’s Claims Dept in Wash DC since you have not stated in what city you live (they have offices around the country in major cities that Amtrak serves). Telephone and get their mailing address, then write them a letter, with a copy of what the conductor gave you, 

Keep what the conductor gave you, only give out a photocopy. You would only need a lawyer if Amtrak ignores you or is not fair with you - which is not likely.

You’ll need to call 1-800-USA-RAIL, and ask to be transferred to Customer Relations. Since the conductor already filed a report you already have a “case number” with customer relations. Have your reservation number(s) handy.

Posted from iPhone

Woodman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't want a lawyer, just a refund if
> possible.  Yes we have a copy of the report.  We
> were getting on the train and could not do
> anything about it unless we wanted to lose our
> bedroom, which we didn't.  I will try custmer
> service tomorrow.  Maybe they can help.  Thanks
> to all for the advice.

Just an fyi years back fell and it caused a back problem, didnt want to involve state industrial insurance and have it on my record.  Well that was a big mistake now 50 yrs later am living with the problem I thought would go away and now its pretty much live with the pain. Go after it now before you do anything else using a lawer and by the way it would have been well worth going to a doctor then not now thats going to be bad as there is no record so far of it other than your incident report.