If you are a railroad employee and have been injured on the job, you need attorneys who are knowledgeable of the Federal Employers Liability Act, also known as FELA, that governs your rights to recovery. FELA establishes a particular process for recovery and determines the recoverable damages. It will be nearly impossible to win any financial recourse without a lawyer. The railroad company will hire all the resources available in order to succeed in paying you significantly less than you deserve or nothing. The main focus of our member FELA railroad lawyers at Oklahoma Attorney Group is to help those with a Federal Employers Liability Act personal injury claim.
Your Rights Under The Federal Employers Liability Act
The Federal Employers Liability Act was enacted in 1908 in recognition of the many dangers involved with working on the railroad. FELA is the legal avenue for injured railroad employees to recover monetary compensation for injuries caused by the negligence of a railroad company. If you are hurt while working for a railroad, the FELA allows you to file a lawsuit to recover monetary damages either in federal or state court. To have the choice whether to file in a federal court or a state court is a very important provision of FELA that allows us to choose the best forum for your claim. Other than railroad employees, only seamen who are hurt on the job have this option. The provisions of FELA also make it much easier to prove liability versus an ordinary accident case such as an auto accident. If the railroad violated a safety regulation or statute, the Federal Employers Liability Act lessens the burden of proof for ordinary negligence and, in some claims, actually does away with having to prove negligence. Unlike people who get hurt on the job who do not work for a railroad company, FELA lets you pursue a claim based on negligence instead of having to go through a workers’ compensation claim.
Oklahoma FELA Railroad Attorneys
Even though the railroad industry has become a safer workplace in recent years through technology advances as well as the impact of successful claims under FELA against railroad companies, railroads still continue to be a dangerous place to work. If you have been hurt or a family member killed while working on the railroad and want skilled legal counsel to protect your rights, contact Oklahoma Attorney Group.
