Answering Common Questions On Railroad Injuries
When you have questions after a railroad injury, getting accurate, honest answers is critical. It can play big part of helping you stay on the right path to moving forward from what happened.
When you need answers, we at Darby Law Group are here for you. Based in Greater Baltimore, attorney Matt Darby has represented injured railroad workers across the East Coast – including Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts – for over 30 years. He has extensive knowledge of railroad claims and their complexities. He is ready to help with your questions and unique concerns.
What if the railroad says I am at fault?
Frequently, the railroad tries to blame the employee for his/her own injury. However, even if your actions contributed to causing your injury, you may still be able to win a FELA claim against the railroad.
However, your recovery will be reduced by the percentage of negligence you have committed. Thus, if you are awarded $300,000 but your negligence was 1/3 of the cause of your injury, you would have your award reduced by 1/3 to $200,000. However, if your injuries were caused by the railroad’s violation of the Federal Safety Appliance Act or the Locomotive Inspection Act, the verdict will not be reduced.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Under FELA, you have three years to file a lawsuit from the date you suffered your railroad injury. With respect to occupational disease claims, the three-year period begins to run when you knew or should have known that you were injured and that your injury might be related to the employment.
How are my lost wages calculated?
Lost wages can be placed into two separate categories. Past lost wages are determined by multiplying the amount of time you missed from work by the amount of your salary at the time of your injury. Future lost wages are calculated by the amount of your salary multiplied by the number of years you would have worked had you not been injured. This amount is then reduced to the present value. If you accept wage continuation from the railroad, you cannot claim that amount as lost wages.
If I am not working on railroad property when injured, am I still covered by FELA?
Under FELA, it is not necessary for you to be on railroad property at the time of your injury. The only requirement is that you were injured while performing an activity in furtherance of the railroad’s interstate business.
Therefore, employees deadheading or otherwise traveling on behalf of the railroad are covered by FELA. Also, if the railroad puts you up in a hotel for a layover and you are injured, you are still covered by FELA if you can prove that the railroad or its agent was negligent.
Who pays my medical bills?
Medical bills resulting from your injury are paid through your medical insurance policy. However, in cases involving workplace or railroad injuries, there are additional considerations regarding how these bills are handled and who bears responsibility for covering treatment costs.
For example, railroad employees are not covered by standard workers’ compensation laws. Instead, they are protected under the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), which provides a framework for pursuing compensation from railroad companies.
Under FELA, if your injury was caused by the negligence of the railroad employer, the railroad company itself may be held liable for covering your medical expenses, lost wages and other related damages.
Can my spouse file claims under FELA if I am injured?
If you are injured, your spouse may not make any additional claim. However, if an employee dies as a result of their injury, the personal representative may recover damages for the benefit of the surviving spouse and children.
This type of FELA claim allows the family to recover damages, including compensation for loss of income, emotional distress and loss of companionship. In addition, they may be eligible to receive compensation for medical expenses incurred before the employee’s death and funeral and burial costs.
Unlike workers’ compensation claims, FELA cases require proof of negligence by the employer. Therefore, working with an experienced FELA attorney is vital to help ensure the surviving family members receive the rightful compensation.
If I settle one case, does that release any other pending claims against the railroad?
In most cases, if an employee has several cases pending against the railroad, settling one does not necessarily release the railroad from the other pending cases.
However, railroad claims agents have increasingly been including a checklist of other potential claims in their releases. Even if you have agreed to settle only one claim, you may be signing away your rights to other future claims if you sign a standard railroad release!
Do I have to take a drug test?
The railroad has the right to test employees for drug use. Do not refuse to take the drug test. If you do so, you risk being terminated.
If you are injured on the job, in certain circumstances, the railroad can test for alcohol. If you refuse to submit to this test, you may be disqualified from service or even terminated.
Should I hire an attorney?
You do not need to have an attorney in order to proceed with a FELA case. However, the FELA injury claim process often involves complicated issues not found in ordinary personal injury matters, and an experienced FELA attorney can be of great assistance. An attorney experienced with FELA litigation will advise you on how to protect your rights and help you deal with the railroad claims agent and their lawyers.
Your FELA attorney will evaluate your case based on the nature and extent of your injuries, time lost from work, negligence of the railroad and contributory negligence of the employee. As a result, injured workers who are represented by legal counsel usually will obtain better results than those who are not.
What about occupational disease?
Long-term exposure to smoke fumes and dust in the workplace can result in serious health problems such as asbestos-related lung disease, occupational pneumoconiosis, and other pulmonary problems or cancers. Exposure to vibration, high force, and repetitious activities may cause carpal tunnel syndrome or osteoarthritis of the knees, ankles or hips.
Occupational diseases are progressive and you may be at risk, even if you have previously tested negative for these diseases. We have extensive experience representing railroad employees, both retired and active, with these disorders from their railroad work.
Do my sickness benefits have to be paid back if I receive a settlement or judgment?
By law, all liens of the Railroad Retirement Board or any supplemental disability benefits must be paid back from any settlement or judgment you receive in your case. If you do not receive a settlement or judgment, the amount of the liens does not have to be paid back.
Where can I file suit against the railroad?
An injured worker can file a lawsuit in the state where the injury occurred or in any state where the railroad company operates. This may include the worker’s home state or other jurisdictions with relevant ties to the railroad.
The option to select the jurisdiction can benefit the worker in terms of accessibility, costs and even jury composition. Since FELA entitles injured workers to a jury trial, selecting a favorable jurisdiction can be an essential part of the case strategy. For example, filing in a jurisdiction known for being worker-friendly may be more favorable for injured workers.
What is the difference between FELA and workers’ compensation?
The Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) is a fault-based system for railroad workers. It requires injured employees to prove that the railroad company’s or a co-worker’s negligence caused their injury. This can involve demonstrating unsafe working conditions, a lack of proper safety protocols or inadequate equipment maintenance.
On the other hand, workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, allowing employees to receive benefits without needing to prove their employer was negligent. This makes it more accessible, as injured workers are entitled to benefits regardless of fault, providing a faster route to immediate medical care and wage replacement.
What damages may I recover?
If an injured worker can show some fault or negligence on the part of the railroad, the worker may recover damages for the past and future pain and suffering, permanent injury, emotional distress, medical expenses not paid by insurance or the railroad, and past and future lost wages.
Can my case be re-opened after a settlement or judgment if my condition worsens? FELA is not like a workers’ compensation statute. Once your case has been settled or you have been awarded a judgment, you may not re-open your case at a later date, even if your condition gets worse.
How do I prove my FELA case?
An employee must show that he or she was performing work for the railroad at the time of the injury and that the injury was the result of some negligence on the part of the railroad. In other words, the employee must prove that the railroad did not provide the employee with a safe place to work.
Thus, it is important to remember that FELA is not like a traditional workers’ compensation case. There is no guarantee that you will receive benefits just because you were injured on the job. We must prove some degree of negligence on the part of the railroad.
What should I do if my spouse suffers a serious railroad accident?
If you are the spouse of a railroad worker, there may come a time when you receive a call informing you that your spouse has been seriously injured or tragically killed on the railroad. Upon receiving this news, the spouse is often unsure of how to proceed.
The railroad knows this and may send a railroad claims agent or another official to pressure the spouse into a quick settlement at an emotionally difficult time. If this is the case, the spouse must make sure to contact the local union officers or our office for help in protecting themselves and their children.
Come To Us For The Answers You Need
From our firm’s office in Hunt Valley, we provide trusted guidance to railroad workers in Maryland and throughout the East Coast. We are ready to answer the specific questions you have about your railroad injury case.
Get in touch with us today by calling 866-409-6136 or sending us an email.