If you experience burn injuries while working as a railroad employee, you don’t benefit from the safety net provided by workers’ compensation. Instead, you must rely on the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) to recover your losses. A FELA burn injury lawyer will help you hold your employers accountable for negligence or unsafe working conditions that led to your burn injuries.
Don’t trust any personal injury lawyer with your case. Poolson | Oden has more than 50 years of experience advocating for injured victims like yourself. Over the past five years, we have recovered more than $25 million for our clients. Trust us with your financial recovery. Call our FELA railroad injury lawyers in Louisiana for a free consultation.
Our Fela Burn Injury Attorneys Handle a Wide Range of Cases
Despite railroad safety advancements since the era of transcontinental construction, the railroad industry is still dangerous. The frequency of severe accidents and injuries within the sector underscores the ongoing risk to workers.
Unfortunately, railroaders deal with explosions and burn injuries, often due to the railroad company’s negligence and failure to provide a safe workplace.
Every railroad industry job carries the potential for burn injuries and explosions. The nature of the work, involving heavy machinery, hazardous materials, and high-energy operations, places employees at constant risk of encountering dangerous situations that can lead to severe injuries or worse.
Following decades of representing railroad workers, our law firm has seen explosions and burn injuries, including death, during the following:
- Crossing collisions with vehicles or trucks carrying explosive liquids
- Trains derailing and catching fire
- Electrocution from working too close to power lines
- Electrical injuries
- Acid and chemical burns from leaking tank cars or cleaning locomotives
- Engine fires
- Faulty equipment
One of Poolson | Oden partner Carisa Oden’s earliest experiences with railroaders came helping a family through the tragedy of losing a husband and a father when a railroader’s train collided with a gasoline truck.
Helping this railroader’s family prompted Carisa to focus her law practice on representing and protecting railroaders. The ultimate goal is for every railroader to make it home safe every day.
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How Injured Railroad Workers Can Get Compensation
When someone else’s negligence causes your work-related burn injuries, you have a right to seek fair compensation. While many employees in Louisiana recover their losses through workers’ compensation, this does not apply to railroad workers; however, there is a different path to compensation.
The Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) was established in 1908 to protect and compensate railroad workers who suffer injuries or illnesses while on the job.
Unlike traditional workers’ compensation insurance, FELA provides a framework for injured railroad employees to pursue compensation through the civil court system.
FELA covers a wide range of injuries, including those resulting from railroad accidents, explosions, exposure to hazardous substances, and more. It also encompasses a broader scope of damages than typical workers’ compensation laws.
Available damages in a FELA burn injury case include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
Injured workers can hold their employers accountable for negligence or not creating and maintaining a safe work environment. FELA lowers the burden of proof in standard negligence cases and may waive the requirement of proving negligence when the railroad company violates a safety regulation.
Hiring a FELA burn injury attorney gives you a fighting chance. Our attorneys will calculate all your losses and work with experts to estimate possible future expenses to file a comprehensive claim. We have a track record of securing successful case results for our clients, so we know how to file a winning claim.
Compassionate Legal Guidance After a Fatal Railroad Accident
If your loved one died due to the severe burns suffered in a railroad accident, we are deeply sorry for your loss. We understand the profound grief and devastation that accompanies the untimely loss of a family member, and FELA wrongful death lawyers in Louisiana offer compassionate legal support during this painful period.
As a surviving family member, you have legal options available to seek justice and compensation for your loss through FELA. Our experienced railroad accident lawyers will help you navigate the complexities of filing a wrongful death claim.
Wrongful death damages under FELA include:
- Medical expenses prior to the victim’s death
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of support
- Pain and suffering experienced by the victim before they died
While the compensation you receive will not erase the scar left by losing a beloved family member, it can help secure your family’s financial comfort. Also, by taking legal action, you may find a source for closure.
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You Have a Limited Time To File a FELA Claim
The statute of limitations determines how much time you have to file a claim against the negligent party. AS FELA is a federal act, the statute of limitations is governed by federal law. When initiating a FELA lawsuit, you generally have three years from the date of your injury to take legal action.
Failure to take action within this timeframe may render you ineligible to receive compensation for your injuries. Therefore, seek legal representation as soon as possible. The sooner you call our FELA burn injury lawyers, the more time we will have to work on your case.
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Call Our FELA Burn Injury Attorneys Today
At Poolson | Oden, we understand the difficulties you and your family are facing while dealing with a life-altering injury or death of a loved one due to burn injuries. Let us help you work with the best team of medical professionals to hold the liable party accountable.
Please contact us to schedule a meeting with one of our FELA railroad trial attorneys. Our consultations and case reviews are absolutely free, with no obligation to you or your family.
Danny Poolson and his team exceeded my expectations. They made every step of my case not only easy but extremely informative and caring through the entire process. Danny’s drive to get me the proper medical help and handle all the outside “noise” was second to none! Their professionalism and a responsiveness are what made the process so seamless. Thank you Poolson Oden!
