FELA (Federal Employers' Liability Act)
Have You Been Injured While Working for a Railroad Company?
Passed by Congress in 1906 and enacted in 1908, the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) protected those railroad workers who helped expand America’s growing railroad network—and serves the same purpose even today. FELA helps provide compensation to workers who are injured in accidents brought about through the negligence of a railroad company.
Unlike regular Workers’ Compensation, however, an employee seeking compensation through FELA is required to prove the railroad company was at least partially at fault for the accident which resulted in injuries. While FELA may appear simple enough to understand, the language in the document has been interpreted in many different ways by different courts of law.
Opposition to FELA Claims
For over a century, railroad companies have tried to repeal FELA or severely limit its reach. With these attempts unsuccessful, some companies simply refuse to pay claims—even after their liability has been firmly established.
This refusal to pay claims in a timely manner is known as “starving out” the victim—and leads many injured railroad employees to seek experienced legal counsel.
How We Work
Since the compensation railroad employees receive through FELA is often much greater than that provided by Workers’ Compensation to non-railroad employees, these employees have more to lose if they misrepresent themselves—or hire an attorney who does not understand FELA.
The best option for railroad employees is to hire an experienced lawyer to protect their rights. The attorneys at the Yost Legal Group have the skills required to help injured railroad workers—and protect them from attorneys trying to protect the railroad’s interests.
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