If you’re a railroad worker, the hazards you face at work can be quite significant. After all, there are a lot of moving parts on a train that can kill or maim hapless workers.
That’s why back in 1908, the federal government enacted the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) to protect injured railroad workers. FELA requires railroad companies to do the following:
- Provide proper safety training
- Supervise the workers
- Enforce safety regulations
- Refrain from issuing unreasonable demands to railroad workers.
What assistance does FELA provide to workers?
Injured railroad employees can seek compensation for lost wages and medical treatments, as well as for their pain and suffering. They may suffer injuries on the job from incidents that include:
- Falls from moving equipment
- Electrocution
- Getting hit by trains or objects under repair
Railroad injuries often prove fatal. Even when that is not the case, the injured worker can be permanently maimed. They have double the risk of dying on the job in comparison to rates for workers in the public sector.
Under FELA, employers are duty-bound to ensure their workers have reasonably safe workplaces. Those companies that fail to do this could face liability for their workers’ on-the-job injuries.
What you can do after an injury
If you are a railroad worker who suffered an injury at work, your claim may be denied. If that happens, you may need to seek the counsel of an attorney well-versed in the laws governing FELA. Failing to timely manage your claim could result in it being permanently denied and all recourse to compensation being lost to you.
