For those in the U.K., especially in the Midlands, the East Midlands train crash will surely be in everyone’s news and on social media. A train and rail accident can be life-changing, both physically and mentally, and many passengers and railway users may be questioning how to get help.
For context, two East Midlands Railway services, both heading to London St Pancras collided at 5:15 p.m. on Friday, 19 June 2026. Eleven people were seriously injured, 32 were described as injured, 57 had minor injuries, and one fatality. Transport secretary, Heidi Alexander stated there will be ‘a thorough investigation done to establish how this collision happened and to ensure that lessons are learned so that we don’t have an incident like this ever again.’
Between 2020 and 2024, the Government’s Rail Accident Investigation Branch (‘RAIB’) began 104 investigations,
- twenty of these involved employees and moving trains;
- fifteen with passengers and moving trains;
- fourteen derailments;
- ten collisions with obstacles;
- nine collisions with other trains;
- nine involving harm or the risk of harm to people at level crossings;
- seven runaway incidents;
- three failures of infrastructure; and
- two train defects.
The RAIB often works closely with the British Transport Police to establish the facts and determine what has happened, and this is no different with the EMR case.
Common railway accidents
Train users can claim compensation for injuries caused by train collisions, while on a train, and while boarding or disembarking the train. Employees can also claim for an accident while at work, for example, if they were fixing equipment.
Who is responsible?
Railway operators, including companies like Network Rail and Transport for London, have a legal duty to ensure the safety of passengers, staff, and the public. If they fail in this duty and an accident occurs, you may be liable for compensation.
Other parties, such as contractors, maintenance firms, or even another passenger, may also be held responsible, depending on the circumstances.
Can I make a claim?
Yes. If you are injured due to a railway accident, you may be entitled to bring a claim for personal injury. Similarly, if a family member has died because of a train accident, you may be entitled to bring a claim under the Fatal Accidents Act to help cover financial loss, funeral expenses, and emotional impact.
Advice
If you or someone you love has been injured due to a train accident, please do not hesitate to contact Nelsons.
Additionally, if you or someone you love has been affected by the East Midlands Railway crash, EMR has set up a dedicated care line to provide assistance.
How can we help?
Holly-Louise Batey is a Trainee Solicitor in our Personal Injury team, which is ranked in Tier One by the independently research publication, The Legal 500.
If you have any questions in relation to the topics discussed in this article, please contact Holly or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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