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Railroad risks that often result in workers’ injuries


Whether you have been working on a Connecticut railroad for years or have just recently started a new job, you may find your work both rewarding and challenging. If you’re someone who has always loved to travel by train, then earning an income while doing so may, in fact, be your dream job. Railroad work can indeed be an enjoyable way to earn a living; however, it is definitely not without risk.

There are certain issues that are ever-present on the railroad that can place you at risk for injury at any time. Your employer is obligated to provide proper training and safety equipment to help you reduce such risks as much as possible. If your employer fails in that duty, it can be disastrous.

What can go wrong on the railroad?

You might be an engineer, a conductor or a lineman. During your normal course of duty on the railroad, any of the following problems can result in your injury:

  • Collisions are one of the most common accident risks on Connecticut railroads and other rail systems throughout the nation. If the train you are on collides with another locomotive, catastrophic injuries may occur.
  • Derailments are of top concern for railroad officials. There have been several tragedies in recent years that have resulted in many fatalities, as well as serious injuries for workers and passengers alike.
  • Level crossings are high risk areas. Such locations are often the scenes of accidents involving other motorists or even pedestrians who get hit by trains while trespassing on the tracks. Train workers often suffer injuries in such incidents as well.
  • If you work on the tracks as opposed to on a train, you are at great risk. Electrical hazards, moving trains and other pieces of heavy equipment increase your risk for suffering injury on the job.

Many trains nowadays travel at high speeds. While some rail systems have automated braking systems, others continue to rely on manual operations. There are regulatory requirements pertaining to operation and maintenance of trains, as well as tracks. There is also strict protocol to which engineers and conductors must adhere.

When negligence results in injury

As a Connecticut railroad employee, you are protected under the Federal Employers Liability Act and may claim benefits if you suffer injury on the job. You must be able to prove that your employer was negligent and that such negligence directly caused your injury. An attorney who is experienced in FELA litigation would be a great source of support if you were to file such a claim.

  • $10.8 Million Verdict for a Metro-North Conductor wrongful death case. (Avery v. Metro-North RR).
  • $8 Million settlement for an Amtrak Trackman who sustained a crushed leg. (Cevasco v. National Railroad Passenger Corp.).
  • $7 Million settlement for a Metro-North Foreman whose legs were amputated. (Renert v. Metro-North RR).
  • $5.8 Million settlement for an Amtrak Conductor who sustained a head injury. (Fitzpatrick v. National Railroad Passenger Corp.).
  • $5.5 Million settlement for a Metro-North Machinist wrongful death case. (Pieger v. Metro-North RR).
  • $4.3 Million Verdict for a Metro-North Conductor wrongful death case. (Ard v. Metro-North RR)
  • $2.57 Million Verdict for an Amtrak Conductor who sustained a back injury. (Pace v. National Railroad Passenger Corp.).
  • $2.5 Million Settlement for a Metro-North employee who sustained a serious head injury.
  • Settled for a Confidential Sum for a Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company Trackman wrongful death case. (Macaulay v. Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company.)
  • $6.250 Million Verdict in 2023 which was later reduced to $2.1 Million for a Metro-North Structural Welder/Ironworker who sustained head and neck injuries and has returned to work. (Torres v. Metro-North RR).
  • $2 Million Verdict for a Metro-North Lineman who sustained an electrical burn (Curly v. Metro-North RR).
  • $2 Million Settlement in 2020 for a Providence & Worcester Railroad Company Conductor who sustained a serious head injury and returned to work for another RR as an Engineer. (Scarpa v. Providence & Worcester Railroad Company.)
  • $2 Million Settlement for a Metro-North Conductor who sustained a fractured leg.
    Settled for a Confidential Sum in 2019 an Amtrak Lineman involving an electrocution causing a permanent occupational disability. (Anderson v. National Railroad Passenger Corp.).
  • $1.85 Million Verdict for an Amtrak Ticket Agent who was assaulted. (Schneider v. National Railroad Passenger Corp.)
  • Compensatory and punitive damages Verdicts and subsequently settled for $1.8 Million in 2023 for a Metro-North
  • Conductor who suffered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. (Moran v. Metropolitan Transportation Authority).
  • $1.69 Million Settlement for an Amtrak Supervisor who was shot by an employee. (Cornelius v. National Railroad Passenger Corp.)
  • $1.65 Million Verdict for a Metro-North Lineman who sustained foot and ankle injuries. (Keating v. Metro-North RR).
  • $1.65 Million Verdict for a Metro-North TA Employee who sustained an Open Tibia Fracture to his left leg. (Rivera v. Metro-North RR).
  • $1.54 Million Verdict for an Amtrak General Foreman who sustained a herniated disc in his lower back. (Brady v. National Railroad Passenger Corporation).
  • $1.45 Million Verdict for a Construction Worker who sustained a left hip injury. (Quintiliani v. National Railroad Passenger Corporation).
  • $1.42 Million Verdict for a Metro-North Machinist who sustained a fractured rib and a herniated disc. (Hall v. Metro-North RR).
  • $1.4 Million Verdict for a Metro-North Mechanical Gang Foreman who sustained burns from an explosion of steam on an engine. (Berry v. Metro-North RR).
  • $1.4 Million Verdict for a Metro-North Carpenter Foreman who sustained a back injury. (Kendall v. Metro-North RR).
  • $1.3 Million Verdict for a Metro-North Signal Trainee Maintainer who sustained a back injury from a slip and fall. (Moran v. Metro-North RR).
  • $1.2 Million Verdict for a Metro-North Signal Maintainer who sustained a back injury and post-concussion syndrome. (Manes v. Metro-North RR).
  • $1.2 Million Verdict for a Metro-North Trackman who sustained crushed legs. (Murillo v. Metro-North RR).
  • $1 Million Settlement for a Metro-North Trackman who sustained burns from pot welding and subsequently returned to work. (Burke v. Metro-North RR).

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If you are a railroad worker who has been injured on the job, you need a lawyer who understands the complicated FELA claims process. Find out how we can help you receive the compensation you deserve.

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