FELA Claim Southern Illinois
At the time of this writing the nation is just receiving word that talks mediated by the Biden administration between railroad unions and railroad industry leaders seem to have been successful for the time being.
At a time when the nation is dealing with existing supply-chain slowdowns and shutdowns related to Covid-19, a sluggish economy, possible recession, rising interest rates, rising gas prices and other economic calamities, a looming railroad strike was something that threatened our way of life in a very real way.
Given that we might have averted this rail shutdown at least for the time being, we thought it a good time to reflect on the railroad employees who play a critical role in keeping the goods flowing to where they need to be. They are the unsung heroes who often endure extremely hazardous conditions to make sure products get from point A to point B.
An Overview of FELA Claims
Most Americans give no thought to the hazards faced by the average railroad worker day in and day out. By taking a look at the files of any FELA lawyer or by examining the statistics published by various railroad worker reporting agencies, we can see at a glance that working conditions for railroad workers even in the United States place these workers at the top of some of the most dangerous professions.
As in other professions, reported railroad accidents seem to tell a story of large corporations increasing profits at the peril of the very workers they rely upon. A common complaint among injured employees is that their railroad employer cut corners by relying upon smaller and smaller staffing numbers who must work harder, longer and with less room for error.
Again and again we see railroad claims regarding injured railroad workers indicating that many accidents and job injuries could have been prevented if the bottom line were matched with worker safety standards. Unfortunately, we see that the railroad industry, like many other corporations, value dollars above all else.
A Breakdown of Railroad Injuries
The Federal Employers Liability Act guarantees compensation for injuries occurring for railroad work if the claimant can prove that some amount of employer negligence led to the accident that caused injury or death. An experienced FELA attorney is skilled in proving negligence in these cases.
Catastrophic Railroad Injuries – These types of personal injuries leave the victim with emotional, psychological and/or physical scars that endure. Examples of these types of catastrophic injuries include injuries such as paralysis or severe burns.
Traumatic Brain Injuries – TBI are when the brain suffers serious injury. Often times these injuries are not visible but that doesn’t mean that the sufferer doesn’t endure long-lasting side effects. These injuries range from light concussions to severe brain injury.
Cumulative Trauma – This type of injury is often caused by repetitive stresses that are endured over a long period of time. Much of the work that railroad workers perform involves repetitive tasks that may cause long term pain and suffering due to wear and tear on the body’s joints, skeleton and muscles.
Filing A FELA Claim
It is important that an injured worker consult an attorney skilled in workers compensation claims and workers compensation laws. Of course, issues related to the Federal Employers Liability Act FELA is specific to injuries suffered by railroad workers and these cases differ greatly from those handled by workers comp lawyers.
Kujawski & Associates are experienced FELA Attorneys with a proven track record. Call us at: 618-622-3600 Toll-Free 800-624-4571 to schedule a free consultation.
