Railroad Worker Accidents (FELA)

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Railroads are an integral part of our United States past, present, and future. They are perhaps the most important facet of business and transportation of our time. Throughout history and still today, railroad workers have constructed and maintained countless miles of railroad across the country. They also inspect and maintain tracks, trains, and stations, and other parts of the railroad infrastructure. Unfortunately for railroad workers, their long and arduous employment often results in personal injury, many times serious, and even fatalities.

In response to the many injured and wrongfully killed railroad workers, Congress passed the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), codified at 45 U.S.C. § 51, which protects and provides compensation for injured railroad workers who sustained their injury on the job. FELA is important because it provides an avenue for injured railroad workers that were injured on the job as a result of the railroad company’s negligence to recover financial compensation for their injuries. It also incentives railroad companies to maintain safe practices and strict safety regulations to reduce/avoid injuries to their workers.

If you or a loved one was injured in a railroad accident, call the Boston workers’ compensation lawyers at Bellotti Law Group, P.C. at 617-225-2100 for a FREE and confidential case consultation. We have helped countless victims and their families recover for their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages following an accident. We have offices in Boston, Cambridge, and Quincy and serve the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Railroad Worker Accident Causes

The most common causes of railroad worker injuries and fatalities are:

• Accidents involving transportation
• Railway accidents (example: falling from railway vehicles)
• Pedestrian workers hit by railway vehicles
• Crashes on the Highway
• Falls
• Electrocutions
• Construction Accidents
• Homicides

Over 75 percent of deaths of railroad worker deaths occur on railway lines, railway yards, or other related locations.

Since the 1960s, a numerous amount of railroad worker accident claims came from the use of toxic solvents. These toxic solvents were linked to brain damage in these workers. The industrial use of these solvents caused injuries such as short-term memory loss, depression, anxiety, and other types of worsening brain function.

United States’ largest railroad company, CSX, has paid over $35 million dollars to railroad workers that have suffered brain damage due to the exposure of toxic solvents. However, the railroad industry and CSX have consistently rejected the connection between the toxic solvents and brain injuries.

Railroad Worker Safety Regulations

Safety regulations for the railroad industry are managed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration. This department has 8 offices regionally, and carries the responsibility for safety inspections and enforcing safety standards.

These inspections look into the following:

• Toxic or hazardous substances
• How the railroad practices are operated
• The safety of equipment
• Signal and train control
• Maintenance of the railroad track
• Training in railroad safety
• Employee death and accident investigations or reports

FELA Claims Are Complex

Filing a FELA claim must be done right. Our experience Boston construction accident lawyers understand the process, its complexities, and the need for thorough and meticulous legal analysis. We know each case is unique and requires individual care and attention.

Different From Standard Workers’ Compensation Claims

FELA claims differ from traditional workers’ compensation claims in that they require proof of the railroad company’s negligence. This negligence can be in whole or in part. Standard workers’ compensation claims only require a worker to be injured on the job. Our experienced and successful FELA claim attorneys launch the most thorough investigation possible to support your claim, hiring experts, if necessary, to testify on your behalf. It is imperative to put the most compelling, persuasive case possible behind your claim and our lawyers have decades of success doing so.

The Boston construction accident attorneys at Bellotti Law Group, P.C. deal with large insurance providers, businesses of all sizes, medical providers, and workers’ compensation claims on a daily basis. We know each and every nuance and will give your case the personal attention it deserves and requires. Often, our reputation leads to a satisfactory settlement without the need for litigation. If you are not offered every dollar you deserve, though, we are fully prepared to litigate on your behalf in court. Contact us today at 617-225-2100 if you or a loved one has been injured or wrongfully killed on the job.