A career in the railroad industry can be a challenging and rewarding job. However, what will you do if you are injured while working? Railroad work-related injuries can range from repetitive motion injuries to serious accidents resulting in permanent disability or even death. In order for you to get the benefits you deserve you will need the assistance of a good personal injury lawyer.
Railroad accidents can be devastating. Incredibly large and fast moving locomotives and the heavy equipment needed to support and maintain them can yield extremely serious on-the-job injuries. The Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) of 1908 was passed to protect and guarantee railroad workers a safe place to work. The Act provided for railroad employees to be compensated monetarily for injury claims, since they were not covered by standard worker's compensation insurance.
The key to the Act is that it allows workers to seek compensation for suffering and pain as determined by a jury based on negligence, rather than standard benefit allowances under worker compensation insurance. If railroad company employees have FELA, then why do they need a railroad accident lawyer? First and foremost, even under FELA the railroad company employee must prove negligence on behalf of the employer. You're not on a level playing field for this task as you face a large, railroad company law firm and for that you will need an experienced accident attorney.
Next, a railroad company employee injured on the job is likely to face mounting medical expenses, and depending on the severity of the injury, wage loss. Sometimes these injuries can require months or years of ongoing physical therapy, medicine, and other special medical needs. FELA provides compensation for both and also includes pain and suffering, and disability. A person also needs someone that is familiar with the local area to represent the case.
Railroad companies employ their own investigative teams to obtain documentation from witnesses, witness statements, and photographs. This evidence is supposed to be unbiased, based on facts, but remember that the investigative team is employed by the railroad company and they will always keep their employer's best interests in mind. That's why it is important for you to have your own representative. Having a personal injury attorney that knows their way around the railroad system, FELA, and the local area will help to keep the scales balanced in your favor.
Railroad employee on-the-job injuries and accidents and are usually unique. They require experienced attorneys that will look out for you and help you get what you deserve. If you are a railroad employee injured on the job, call a personal injury lawyer today for a free consultation. Remember too, that you will not be required to pay up-front, only after your settlement has been achieved.