When accidents happen along Connecticut railroads, the National Transportation Safety Board typically launches investigations. During preliminary investigations, there are often a lot more questions than answers regarding how railroad worker injuries might have occurred and what or who may have caused a particular incident to occur. The name of a man in another state was recently withheld from the media until his family members were notified of his death.

The sudden tragedy happened at a rail yard in a large city. The NTSB immediately dispatched investigators to the scene. The worker was reportedly carrying out his normal duties during the switching of cars when the terrible accident occurred.

What exactly happened that caused the man’s death? Were there any safety violations involved? That is what investigators are trying to determine as they speak to other railroad employees and officials and search the accident scene for clues. Investigations like this can often takes weeks or even months to complete.

If railroad worker injuries are determined to have been caused by employer negligence of some sort, a recovering accident victim or surviving family members of a deceased victim may seek justice in a civil court under the Federal Employers Liability Act. The FELA governs all railroad workplace accident claims. Those who work on Connecticut railroads or those in other states do not get workers’ compensation benefits. Navigating the FELA system can be stressful, which is why many injured workers and their families seek assistance from attorneys who are experienced in railroad litigation.