Law Firm Investigator/Retired Engineer
“The Intimidator.” To any NASCAR fan those words bring to mind the late Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Unfortunately for many rail employees of Norfolk Southern (NS), Amtrak and CSX Railroads who have suffered an on the job personal injury “The Intimidator” reminds them of a railroad supervisor involved in their injury reporting process. You know the one, the railroad supervisor that says, “Sorry to hear you were hurt but you know your work record is not that good. Are you sure you want to file the report?” Or, maybe the supervisor used the guilt trip method: “You know this is going to make the entire District look bad.” Or, “There goes our perfect safety record.” In other words, “safety” is the word, unless the personal injury may mean the railroad has to pay you for your injury claim.
How many times in the recent past have “transfers” or “lateral movements” happened to railroad supervisors covering up or not reporting employee’s personal injuries? Norfolk Southern (NS), Amtrak and CSX train railroad claim agents in ways to “minimize” the railroad’s monetary loss due to on the job personal injuries. In my nearly 42 year career at Norfolk Southern, I rarely observed a supervisor actually concerned with an injured railroad employee’s rights, and there are plenty of worker complaints about their treatment at Norfolk Southern, CSX, and Amtrak.. The worker’s sometimes feel helpless. FELA (Federal Employers Liability Act) attorneys are here to insure the railroads do the right thing, and follow federal laws and regulations that govern the railroads. The railroad must provide a “safe place to work” and believe me that what this key phrase “safe place to work” means is a constantly changing thing—nearly a century of state and federal court cases go into defining what the worker rights are if injured working for the railroad.
ALL rail workers have rights guaranteed them by FELA which is very different from state workers compensation laws, and if you are a worker, consult with our law firm for a free consultation. For example, there are many injured workers that are surprised to learn that a railroad regulation applies to the situation under which they suffered an injury, or that our experience with similar cases leads us to evidence of railroad carelessness or negligence in their case.
If you aren’t aware of what the FELA is, study some of the helpful postings on www.hsinjurylaw.com . Many workers have found our site informative and helpful.