A FELA law firm is the best place for an injured railroad worker to get experienced, knowledgeable legal representation. Not all law firms take FELA (Federal Employers’ Liability Act) cases. This area of law is complex and specific, intended to protect the rights of railroad employees and their families to compensation for injuries, income loss, and deaths.
Thousands of Injured Railroad Workers
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There are more than 150,000 men and women working for the over 500 railroad companies in the U.S. According to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), in a typical recent year, there were over 7,500 accidents among railroad workers that caused an injury, a death, or an occupational illness. In thousands of these cases, FELA lawyers helped ensure that the injured or their survivors received full and fair compensation for their losses.
A Fair Settlement or Court Verdict
Whenever possible, a FELA attorney will work to obtain a satisfactory settlement that addresses all of the injured railway worker’s losses. In other cases, it is necessary to take a FELA case to court (state or federal) to fight the railroad company’s efforts to deny or minimize the compensation for an injured worker.
Using Every Means to Win a FELA Case
FELA lawyers make use of many means to obtain a just outcome for an injured FELA claimant. They are skilled litigators and negotiators. Whenever appropriate, they:
- deal with insurance companies
- depose experts (medical, railroad, forensic, etc.)
- file legal motions to protect your rights
- gather evidence from the site of the injury
- get all of the relevant medical records
- interview the people involved and witnesses
- negotiate with the employer’s law firm and insurance company’s attorneys toward a settlement when possible
- prepare the injured FELA claimant for trial if one is to be held
- represent the injured or his/her survivors at trial
Causation and Liability
A primary task for a FELA lawyer is to determine how the railroad injury or fatality happened (i.e., the causation) and who is responsible (that is, the liability). Even if the injured or killed railroad worker was responsible in part for the incident, compensation for losses may still be appropriate and attainable.
How a FELA Lawyer Can Help
Obtaining a qualified FELA lawyer can be considered the most crucial part of an employee’s case. Railroad workers are put in danger all the time and the company is responsible to provide a safe working environment. FELA was created to help protect both workers and employers when death or injury has occurred while at the workplace.
Regardless of how long a worker has been at their particular company and the nature of their relationship to one another, an injury can change everything. No longer can a worker be viewed as a hardworking, loyal employee, but also as a potentially large liability to the company. Both sides must do what is in their best interests and obtaining a FELA lawyer is the first step.
Companies will often have access to resources that employees may not, mainly due to financial differences. A FELA lawyer will ensure all the employee’s legal rights and options are known, and will then proceed to aggressively represent what is in he/she’s best interests. Failing to complete certain steps and procedures during a FELA lawsuit can disqualify a worker from compensation. FELA lawyers have special knowledge of the railroad industry and the laws that apply to it.
Talk to a FELA Lawyer about Your Circumstances
If you are a railroad employee and you were hurt on the job – or if your family member was killed on the job as a railroad employee – get answers to your questions and learn about your legal rights by contacting us. We will schedule a free initial consultation with a qualified FELA lawyer in your area who will evaluate your case and help you determine the best legal strategy.
FELA Lawyers By State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming