Commuter Train Derailments: Common Causes and Injuries

In metropolitan areas like Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, public transportation provides an invaluable service. Although convenient, commuter trains can present multiple hazards that most passengers probably don’t even think about. Operators and owners of commuter trains have a duty of care to provide safe passage for those who use them. If injuries or deaths occur in a train derailment […]

Railway Workers and Asbestos Exposure

Railway workers have some of the highest rates of mesothelioma due to the fact that they have been exposed to asbestos products that are used throughout locomotives. Long or short-term exposure to the asbestos contained in brakes, insulation, gaskets, and cement can lead to asbestos-related sicknesses in railway workers. How are train workers exposed to asbestos? The Virginia FELA attorneys […]

FELA Basics For Injured Railway Workers

After being declared unconstitutional in 1906, the Federal Employers’ Liability Act was passed again in 1908. Since then, the FELA Act has persevered in the face of constitutionality tests while providing a federal system of economic recovery for railway workers who are killed or injured on the job. What kind of injuries qualify me for a FELA claim? Railway work […]

FELA Attorney Responds to FAQs

The Federal Employers Liability Act was passed by Congress in 1908 due to the important function that the railroad industry played in the growth of interstate commerce. Most people are at least marginally aware of the essential role that railroads played in the evolution of the United States. They paved the way for the settlement and development of the Wild […]

Automated Train Operation A Cause For Concern

In recent years, the rapid evolution of automated vehicles has been a mainstay in the news as people either welcome the technology or raise concerns about safety. While all this is going on, railways companies have been working diligently behind closed doors on Automatic Train Operation, an innovation that could forever change how cargo is shipped across the United States.  […]

Negligence and Liability in Virginia Railroad Crossing Accidents

An overwhelming majority of serious railroad accidents take place on level crossings. According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia has 9, 409 railway crossings.  Of these, 2,574 private grade crossings, 1,852 public and at-grade, 1,852 grade-separated, and 3,764 closed crossings. A lot of these crossings are not equipped with critical safety features that warn people in the area when […]

What Are the Most Common Railroad Worker Injuries?

Working around locomotives, near railroad tracks, or in a railyard is a fundamentally hazardous job. Railcars and train engines roll along tracks on steel wheels and are incredibly clumsy and heavy. On a daily basis, railway workers are exposed to multiple dangers, some of which could potentially cause severe and even fatal injuries. If you were injured while you were […]