Railroad workers are protected by a very plaintiff-friendly law called the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA). One of the provisions under that act, or the way that courts have interpreted it, is the requirement that railroads provide employees with adequate equipment and assistance in lifting or moving equipment. Our FELA lawyers have many clients who…
Our railroad injury lawyers have been handling cases for injured railroad employees for more than 35 years. Railroad workers are protected by a law called the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), a special act set up to protect railroad workers. Under this law, if an employee is hurt while he or she is working for…
Our FELA lawyers are often asked by injured railroad workers if their case will be impacted because they didn’t file an accident report right away. Do they still have the right to sue under federal law or to hire a lawyer? The answer is yes. The Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) does not require them…
Whistleblowers play a crucial role in uncovering fraud related to asbestos exposure in the railroad industry. They can expose companies that have knowingly concealed the presence of asbestos or failed to inform workers about the risks. By reporting fraudulent actions, whistleblowers can help hold railroad companies accountable under laws like the False Claims Act, which protects individuals who come forward and ensures that companies are liable for failing to comply with asbestos safety regulations.
In a FELA, or Federal Employers’ Liability Act, case, Virginia railroad injury victims should attempt to recover the following:
Past and future medical expenses, including hospitalization expenses.
Past and future lost wages.
Past and future pain and mental suffering compensation.
Past and future disability and loss of earning capacity.
Permanent injury, deformity or disfigurement compensation.
Keep in mind that recovery under FELA is granted instead of recovery under state workers’ compensation laws, and recovery is not permitted for both FELA and workers’ compensation. FELA allows financial recovery for pain and suffering, with the amount being decided by a jury based on comparative negligence, rather than according to a predetermined benefits schedule, such as that used in ordinary workers’ compensation cases.
Learn more: As Virginia and Carolina attorneys specializing in FELA and railroad injury law, we offer hundreds of pages of information to help you learn your rights and recover compensation if you’ve been hurt on the job, riding trains or crossing rail tracks. You may find our list “What Not to Do After a Railroad Accident” especially helpful.