Amtrak, the government-owned passenger rail corporation, must pay more than $160,000 in damages to a maintenance worker for retaliating against her for reporting an on-the job injury in violation of a federal law protecting injured railroad workers. In late 2007, the woman lost her job after reporting that she hurt her ankle at a Seattle…
If you get into an accident on an ATV (all-terrain vehicle), the consequences can be severe. That is what two teenagers in Martinsburg, West Virginia (WV) learned after their ATV went into the mouth of Back Creek near the Potomac River, according to the Herald-Mail. Both teenagers, an 18-year-old female and a 19-year-old male, suffered…
I received an e-mail with the same title that basically said convicted criminals receive more rights and protection than our elderly. Although overly exaggerated, the e-mail draws attention to the terrible care that many elders receive at these facilities. According to the best available estimates, between 1 and 2 million Americans age 65 or…
The Metrolink commuter rail system and Connex Railroad have asked a Los Angeles federal court to approve a $200 million settlement fund for victims of a September 2008 head-crash between a commuter train and a freight train in Chatsworth, California, according to the Associated Press. If the court goes along with the plan, the two…
We get this question a lot since many railroaders have heard about “damage caps” in medical malpractice cases. Fortunately, FELA (i.e. the Federal Employers Liability Act) does not penalize victims and there is no arbitrary damage cap for your on-the-job railroad injury. This does not mean there aren’t specific requirements you need to follow when…