Many Connecticut children grow up singing songs about working on the railroad. While such ditties are often entertaining and amusing, the reality of railroad work is often quite dangerous. In fact, railroad worker injuries often occur that result in permanent disabilities.

That’s what happened to a 22-year-old man who was working on a railroad in another state. It was a tragic incident that resulted in a catastrophic injury to the worker. During his recovery, he filed a lawsuit against his employer for negligence.

The man was on assignment back in December and at the time was working during a snowstorm. At some point along the tracks he was struck by a hanging tree limb and was thrown from the train. The man’s claim against the company states that his employers failed to remove objects from the area that could cause injury, and also failed in their duty to warn him of potentially dangerous conditions. The claim also cites the fact that services on the railroad were not suspended even though weather was inclement and visibility on the tracks extremely poor.

Sadly, the man now lives with only one arm. He continues to undergo surgeries and medical care and will likely have to have a prosthetic arm attached and also receive specialized training to learn how to use it. Railroad worker injuries in Connecticut or any state, caused by employer negligence, often lead to litigation, since the Federal Employer Liability Act allows injured workers to file personal injury lawsuits regarding on-the-job accidents against their employers in civil court.

Source: dailygazette.com, “Railroad worker who lost arm in accident files suit“, Steven Cook, July 18, 2017