Most workers who get hurt on the job think about workers’ compensation first. File a claim, get your medical bills covered, receive a portion of your lost wages, and move forward. It’s a no-fault system — straightforward, if limited. Railroad workers don’t have that system. Instead, they’re covered by the Federal Employers Liability Act, or FELA, a federal law enacted […]
FELA Rights as an Injured Railroad Worker
Fatigue on the Rails: How Sleep Deprivation Puts Railroad Workers at Risk
Railroad work doesn’t follow a 9-to-5 schedule. Trains run around the clock, across time zones, in every kind of weather. For the engineers, conductors, brakemen, and trackmen who keep those operations moving, the demands can be relentless. Irregular shifts. Extended hours. Unpredictable call times. Sleep schedules that get pushed, pulled, and compressed until there’s nothing left to give. That kind […]
Diesel Exhaust and Cancer Risk: What Railroad Workers Need to Know
Most people don’t think about what they’re breathing at work. You show up, you do your job, you go home. But for railroad workers, truckers, dock workers, and miners, the air around them every single day contains something far more dangerous than most of their employers want to acknowledge: diesel exhaust. This isn’t a fringe concern. It’s backed by decades […]
Mesothelioma Lawsuits for Railroad Workers Under FELA
When a railroad worker is diagnosed with mesothelioma, the legal and financial consequences can be overwhelming. An experienced railroad attorney understands that this aggressive cancer is almost always linked to long-term asbestos exposure in the workplace. At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, our FELA and railroad lawyers represent injured railroad workers and their families nationwide. If you or a loved one […]
Challenges of Filing a FELA Claim for a Back Injury
When a railroad worker suffers a serious back injury, the legal road ahead can be complex and adversarial. An experienced railroad attorney understands that these cases are rarely simple and often involve aggressive defense tactics by major rail corporations. At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, our FELA and railroad injury lawyers represent injured railroaders nationwide and have seen firsthand how physically […]
Filing a FELA Claim for Repetitive Stress Injuries
When a railroad worker develops chronic pain, numbness, or weakness that worsens over time, a skilled FELA attorney immediately looks beyond a single accident and evaluates whether the condition may be a repetitive stress injury. At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, our FELA lawyers have represented railroad workers nationwide who suffer from cumulative trauma and overuse injuries caused by years of […]
What Is the Difference Between FELA and Workers’ Compensation?
When a railroad worker is injured on the job or develops a serious occupational illness, the legal path forward is very different from that of most other employees. An experienced FELA attorney understands that railroad injury claims are governed not by state workers’ compensation systems, but by a powerful federal law known as the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA). At […]
Are There Damage Limitations in FELA Claims?
Railroad employees face some of the most dangerous working conditions in the country. When injuries or fatalities occur, railroad workers are protected by a federal law known as the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA). One of the most common questions injured railroad workers and their families ask is: Are there damage limitations in FELA claims? The short answer is no […]
Railroad Switching Operations: One of the Most Dangerous Jobs on the Rails
Railroad switching operations are among the most dangerous tasks performed by rail employees. Engineers, conductors, switchmen, brakemen, and track workers are routinely required to work on the ground, between moving railcars, and alongside active locomotives, often with little physical protection. In Virginia’s busy freight corridors, ports, rail yards, and industrial spurs, switching work places railroad employees in constant proximity to […]
Railroad Crossing Accidents in Virginia: Why These Crashes Happen and Who May Be Responsible
Railroad crossings remain one of the most dangerous intersections on Virginia roads. Trains can approach at any time, from either direction, and modern locomotives are often quieter than people expect, giving drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists less warning that a train is coming. When something goes wrong at a railroad crossing, the results are often catastrophic. According to the Federal Railroad […]