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The Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) was put into law to help railroad workers when they're injured on the job. The railroad industry was in full swing when FELA was enacted in 1908. Under present-day law (including FELA), railroad companies have a duty to provide a safe working environment. Although safety conditions for railroad workers have improved since the early 1900s, many employees of railroads still have dangerous jobs that have resulted in thousands of instances of:
FELA exists to protect the rights of railroad employees to coverage for their medical bills, lost income and other costs after injuries incurred at work. The Act is a very specific sector of law, and not all lawyers practice FELA law. It's in the best interests of an injured railroad worker to seek out and consult a FELA attorney for knowledgeable, experienced representation.
Railroad workers injured on the job are sometimes entitled to more than just compensation, but workers are not always told this because railroad companies will often want to minimize potential costs and legal battles. However, under FELA, workers are protected from threats or pressure from companies to avoid legal consultation and should not feel that contacting an attorney will threaten their position with the company.
When a railroad employee is hurt on the job, it is not necessarily a "done deal" that he or she will receive compensation under FELA. An initial challenge is proving the railroad company's negligence in not providing a safe working environment. Another challenge is the issue of whether (and how much) the injured worker is responsible in part for his or her injury.
Thus, the employer's liability and the employee's potential contributory negligence are central issues in each FELA case, but there are further issues to consider, such as the extent of the injury and the fair assessment of the injured worker's losses.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) keeps records regarding injuries and deaths incurred on the job among railroad employees, and their data indicate that each year in the U.S., about 7,000 incidents cause a severe injury, occupational illness, or death of a railroad employee.
FELA provides both injured railroad workers and their families with fair and livable compensation for an injury — or for a death. FELA provides benefits for the dependents (spouse and children) of railroad employees who are killed on the job (or who die due to their work on the railroad).
A FELA claim can be taken to a state or federal court system.
Injured railroad employees and their family members can contact a FELA lawyer in their area and arrange a no-fee consultation today.
Norfolk Railway Company asked a judge to dismiss a Federal Employer’s Liability Act (FELA) claim brought against them, Nov. 6. Norfolk alleges the FELA claim is defective.
A Federal Employer’s Liability Act (FELA) trial should be underway this month as Madison County Circuit Judge Daniel Stack begins to select a panel of 12 jurors. Charles Moore filed the ...
A lawsuit was recently filed by a former signal maintainer for Norfolk Southern Railway against his employer.
The suit claims the company failed to provide th...
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