Chicago FELA Lawyer

Helping Injured Railroad Workers Get Their Lives Back on Track

Chicago work injury lawyer Robert M. Cohen provides legal representation to injured railroad workers in FELA cases. We handle FELA cases involving a wide variety of injuries to all types of railroad workers in Illinois. This includes heavy laborers, service personnel, maintenance workers, and workers in the office

If you are a railroad worker who was injured on the job, contact injury attorney Robert M. Cohen at 847-790-4246 for help with your FELA claim

What Is Fela?

The Federal Employer Liability Act (FELA) was introduced in 1908 to protect railroad workers injured on the job. This federal law applies to all railroad workers in Illinois, including those who are employed by Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Union Pacific Railroad, Canadian National, Norfolk Southern, the Metra commuter transit system, and CSX. Railroad workers who are seriously injured on the job and the families of those who are killed can recover compensation by filing FELA claims rather than filing a claim under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act.

Injured railroad workers can recover compensation for::

  1. Past and future medical expenses;
  2. Past and future loss of earnings;
  3. Pain and suffering; and
  4. Temporary or permanent disability.

Common Railroad Worker Injuries

Railroad workers can be injured in a variety of ways. Some of the more common causes of railroad worker injuries our law firm sees include the following:

Train Accidents: Although train accidents and derailments account for only a small percentage of railroad worker injuries, workers who are involved in train crashes often suffer severe, or even fatal injuries.

Slip and Fall Accidents: Poorly-lighted train stations, gaps between platforms, icy or wet conditions, and debris in rail yards mean slip and fall accident injuries are common for railroad workers. While some falls are relatively minor, others cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and death.

Hearing Damage: Dangerous noise levels are a common occupational hazard for railroad workers. Over time, exposure to loud noises can cause severe hearing loss

Repetitive Motion Injuries: Carpal tunnel and tendonitis caused by repetitive movements often require expensive surgeries or may even result in permanent damage.

Filing FELA Claims in Chicago

Unlike workers’ compensation claims, where it is not necessary to prove employer negligence, injured workers who file FELA claims are required to prove a railroad company failed to provide the proper equipment or safe work conditions and that such a failure contributed to the injury to the worker.

Even if your negligence played a role in causing your injury, you may still be able to collect damages under FELA. The court will consider your portion of fault, however, when it determines the amount of damages you can recover for your injury.

If the court determines that your injury is worth $36,000, but you were determined to be 25% at-fault for the accident, your recovery will be reduced by 25%. You would be entitled to $27,000 in damages.

When you retain the services of our injury law firm, we will gather evidence, interview witnesses, and hire experts to prove you are entitled to be compensated for your losses.

Contact a FELA Accident Attorney

At Robert M. Cohen Associates, we offer a free consultation to discuss a legal claim for FELA (railroad) accident injuries. We represent clients throughout Illinois.