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15 Lessons Your Boss Would Like You To Know You'd Known About Federal …
24.07.21
Industries with high risk of injury that are injured are typically protected by laws that require employers to higher standards of safety. Railroad workers, for instance are covered under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA).
To recover damages under the FELA the victim must demonstrate that their injury was at least partially caused through the negligence of the employer.
Workers' Compensation vs. FELA
There are some differences between workers' compensation and FELA although both laws offer protection to employees. These distinctions are related to claims processes, fault evaluation and the types of damages awarded for injury or death. Workers' compensation law gives immediate assistance to injured workers regardless of who is responsible for the accident. FELA requires that claimants demonstrate that their railroad employer is at least partially responsible for their injuries.
FELA also allows workers to sue federal courts instead of the state workers' compensation system and allows for a trial by jury. It also provides specific rules for determining damages. A worker could receive up to 80% their average weekly salary, as well as medical expenses and a reasonable cost-of-living allowance. Moreover the FELA suit may include additional compensation for pain and suffering.
To be successful in a FELA claim the worker must show that the railroad's negligence was at the very least a factor in the resulting injury or death. This is a higher standard than that required for a successful workers' compensation claim. This requirement is a product of the history of FELA. In 1908, Congress passed FELA in an effort to increase the safety of rail lines by allowing workers to sue for significant damages when they were injured in the course of their work.
In the wake of more than 100 years of FELA litigation railway companies today regularly implement safer equipment, however the trains, tracks, railroad yards and machine shops are one of the most hazardous work environments. FELA is crucial to ensure the safety of railway workers, and to correct employers' failures in protecting their employees.
It is crucial to seek legal advice as quickly as you can if are railway worker who has been injured at work. Contacting a BLET authorized legal counsel (DLC) firm is the most effective way to start. Click here to find an approved DLC firm near you.
FELA vs. Jones Act
The Jones Act is a federal law that permits seamen to sue their employers for on-the-job injuries and deaths. The Jones Act was passed in 1920 as a means to safeguard sailors who are at risk on the high seas or other navigable waters. They are not covered by workers' compensation laws unlike employees who work on land. It was closely modeled after the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), which covers railroad workers, and was designed to meet the specific requirements of maritime workers.
Contrary to the laws governing workers' compensation, which limit recovery for negligence to a maximum of an injured worker's lost wages, the Jones Act provides unlimited liability for maritime plaintiffs in the event of employer negligence. The Jones Act does not require plaintiffs to prove that their employer's negligence led to their injury or death. The Jones Act also allows injured seamen to sue their employers for damages that are not specified like future and past suffering in the past and future, loss of earnings capacity and mental distress.
A seaman's claim under the Jones Act may be brought in a state or federal court. In a suit under the Jones Act, plaintiffs have the right to a jury trial. This is a completely new approach to the laws governing workers' compensation. Most of these laws are statutory in nature and do not give injured employees the right to trial by jury.
In the case Norfolk Southern Railway Company v. Sorrell the US Supreme Court was requested to clarify whether a seaman's involvement in their own injury was subjected to a higher standard of proof than FELA claims. The Court ruled that the lower courts were right in determining that a seaman's contribution to his own accident has to be proven to have directly caused his or her injury.
Sorrell was awarded US$1.5 million in compensation for his injury. Sorrell's employer, Norfolk Southern, argued that the trial court's instructions to the jury were incorrect as they instructed the jury to decide to hold Norfolk responsible only for any negligence that directly contributed to the injury. Norfolk argued the standard of causation in FELA cases and Jones Act cases should be the exact same.
Safety Appliance Act vs. FELA
Contrary to laws regarding workers' compensation in contrast, the Federal Employers' Liability Act enables railroad workers to sue their employers directly for negligence that led to injuries. This is a crucial distinction for injured workers who work in high-risk sectors. This enables them to be compensated for their injuries and also to support their families following an accident. The FELA was passed in 1908 to acknowledge the inherent dangers associated with the work and to establish standard liability requirements for companies who operate railroads.
FELA requires that railroads offer a safe working environment for their employees. This includes the use of repaired and maintained equipment. This includes everything from cars and locomotives to tracks, switches, and other safety equipment. In order for an injured worker to prevail in a claim they must prove that their employer acted in breach of their duty of care by failing to provide a reasonably safe work environment, and that the injury was a direct result of the negligence.
This rule can be a challenge for some workers, especially when a defective piece of equipment is involved in an accident. An experienced lawyer who has experience with FELA claims can be a great help. An attorney who understands the specific safety requirements for railroaders and the regulations that govern them can improve the case of a worker, by establishing a solid legal basis.
The Railroad Safety Appliance Act and the Locomotive Inspection Act are two railroad laws that could help strengthen the worker's FELA claim. These laws, referred to as "railway statues," require that rail corporations and, in some cases their agents (such as managers, supervisors, or company executives) must adhere to these rules to ensure the safety their employees. Infractions to these laws could be considered to be negligence in and of themselves, meaning that a violation can be considered sufficient to support a claim of injury under the FELA.
An instance of railroad statute violations is when an automatic coupler or grab iron is not properly installed or is defective. If an employee is injured as a result of this, they could be entitled compensation. However, the law also states that if the plaintiff contributed to the injury in some way (even if minimal), their claim may be reduced.
FELA in opposition to. Boiler Inspection Act
FELA is a set of federal laws that allows railroad employees and their family members to claim significant damages if they get injured while on the job. This includes compensation for loss of earnings and benefits, including medical expenses, disability payments, and funeral expenses. Additionally when an injury causes permanent impairment or death, a claim could be made for punitive damages. This is to punish the railroad and discourage other railroads from engaging similar behavior.
Congress passed FELA in 1908 due to public outrage over the shocking rate of accidents and fatalities on the railroads. Prior to FELA there was no legal basis for railroad employees to sue their employers when they suffered injuries while on the job. Railroad workers injured in the line of duty, and their families, were often denied financial support during the time they were unable to work due to injuries or negligence on the part of the railroad.
Railroad workers who are injured can bring claims for damages under FELA in either state or federal court. The law eliminated defenses such as The Fellow Servant Doctrine and the assumption of risk and replaced them with the concept of comparative fault. The act determines a railroader's portion of the responsibility for an accident by comparing their actions with those of their coworkers. The law allows for a trial by jury.
If a railroad company violates the federal railroad safety law, such as The Safety Appliance Act and Boiler Inspection Act it is completely liable for any injuries resulting from the violation. The railroad is not required to prove that it was negligent or the fact that it caused an accident. It is also possible to make an action under the Boiler Inspection Act when an employee is injured by exposure to diesel exhaust fumes.
If you are a railroad employee who has suffered an injury or injured, you must immediately contact an experienced lawyer for railroad accidents. A qualified lawyer can assist you file your claim and receive the maximum amount of compensation for the time you are not able to work because of your injury.