Railroad and Maritime Worker Injuries
FELA and Jones Act
For railroad workers and seamen, an injury on the job can mean the end of a career. Trains, ships and barges are a vital part of our nation’s transportation system and economy but they can also be dangerous places to work. Because of those hazards, Congress passed special federal laws to compensate people who work on the railroads and waterways in the United States when they are hurt on the job. The Federal Employee Liability Act (FELA) covers railroad workers. The Jones Act applies the FELA to seamen (pilots, captains, deckhands, engineers).
Under both FELA and the Jones Act, workers can recover monetary damages for injuries suffered on the job because of the carelessness of the employer or a co-worker. The compensation may include past or future wages lost because of the accident, medical expenses, decreased earning power and pain and suffering. However, a claim must be filed within three years after the day of injury or it will be barred by statutory time limits.
At Simon Passanante, P.C., we represent railroad workers and seamen with claims against their employers under FELA and the Jones Act. Just as trains, barges and ships travel across state borders, so too do the attorneys at Simon Passanante P.C. Although we are located in St. Louis, we handle Jones Act and FELA cases throughout the country. Our recent cases include a $605,000 verdict won in an Indiana state court for a locomotive Engineer hurt in a train collision and a confidential settlement in Missouri obtained for a deckhand who was hurt during a coal loading operation.
Partner John Simon belongs to the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel and has written extensively on the topic of FELA litigation. To find out if Simon Passanante, P.C. can help you, please contact us. To read more about Paul Passanante, click here.
