The FELA: Protection Wherever You May Roam

At a recent railroad union meeting we attended there were several questions about the railroad’s responsibility when someone is injured off the work site and we thought it would be good to get some information out about this. It’s important to remember that the railroad’s duty to its employees to provide them with a safe place to work is “non-delegable,” which means they can’t push that responsibility on to anyone else – the railroad is responsible for your workplace safety no matter where you are. The buck stops with your railroad employer. We recently handled a case involving an injury on an industry sidetrack. Even though the railroad did not own or operate the industry sidetrack or property, the railroad employer was held responsible for condition of the industry’s property because it was an area where railroaders were required to perform their duties.

The Responsibility of The Railroad

There are many binding legal precedents holding the railroad’s feet to the fire. The United States Supreme Court, in Shenker v. B. & O. Ry. Co., 374 U.S. 1, 7-8 (1963), ruled that the railroad’s responsibility to provide a safe workplace applies even “when [employees] are required to go onto the premises of a third party over which the railroad has no control.” The Supreme Court ruled the railroad liable for another railroad’s negligent maintenance of mail car that injured the plaintiff. In another Supreme Court case, Sinkler v. Missouri Pac. R. Co., 356 U.S. 326 (1958), the Supreme Court ruled the railroad was liable for the negligence of another railroad’s switching crew. In Payne v. Baltimore & O. R. Co., 309 F.2d 546 (6th Cir. 1962), a federal appeals court ruled the railroad was liable for an accumulation of ash on third-party’s property that killed the plaintiff. In Cazad v. Chesapeake & O. Ry. Co., 622 F.2d 72 (4th Cir. 1980), another federal appeals court ruled the railroad was liable for an injury caused by uncovered drain culvert, again on the property of a third party. In one of the best cases for railroad employees, Empey v. Grand Trunk W. R. Co., 869 F.2d 293 (6th Cir. 1989), a federal appeals court ruled the railroad liable for an injury caused by the negligence of a hotel where the plaintiff was staying in between shifts – the plaintiff slipped on water in the bathroom because the hotel shower was poorly maintained.

Keeping Safe On The Job

So keep in mind, your railroad employer always has to keep you safe on the job – that’s their responsibility to you for all the hard work you give them. If you have an injury that appears it was someone else’s fault, it is still important to contact a lawyer because the railroad’s duty to you is “non-delegable” – it protects you anywhere you are working.

If you have any questions regarding a potential railroad injury case, contact us at 410-769-5406 for a consultation.