What happens and who may be responsible
These injuries can occur in shops, yards, maintenance facilities, power systems, locomotives, or along the right-of-way. Railroad workers may be injured by crushing machinery, moving components, electrical faults, arc flashes, fires, explosions, or contact with energized equipment.
Depending on the facts, responsibility may involve:
- Unguarded or defective machinery
- Unsafe electrical systems
- Arc flashes or electrical faults
- Failure to de-energize equipment
- Inadequate lockout or grounding procedures
- Defective tools or equipment
- Fires or explosions
- Inadequate protective equipment
Railroad electrical incidents can cause severe burns, electrocution, and other catastrophic injuries. Documented rail-related incidents have involved energized third rails, electrical faults, arc flashes, and transformer explosions.
How FELA applies here
An amputation, burn, or electrical injury does not automatically establish railroad negligence. The issue is whether the railroad failed to provide safe equipment, appropriate procedures, adequate training, proper protective measures, or a reasonably safe place to perform the work.
The investigation may look at whether equipment was properly guarded or de-energized, whether electrical hazards were identified, whether appropriate personal protective equipment was provided, and whether workers received adequate training and instructions for the task.
Safety bulletin
Suffered an Amputation, Burn, or Electrical Injury? Do this now.
1
Get emergency medical care
These injuries can involve hidden tissue damage, nerve injury, infection risk, or complications that require immediate treatment.
2
Identify the equipment and electrical source
Record the machinery, tool, locomotive, railcar, transformer, electrical system, or other equipment involved in the incident.
3
Talk to a FELA lawyer before signing important documents
Statements, releases, authorizations, or other paperwork may affect your rights after a serious railroad injury.
Common issues in amputation, burn, and electrical injury cases
- Unguarded machinery
- Pinch and crush points
- Defective tools or equipment
- Arc flash
- Electrical shock
- Energized equipment
- Improper grounding
- Lockout failures
- Fires and explosions
- Inadequate personal protective equipment
- Unsafe maintenance procedures
- Inadequate training
Injuries may include
- Partial or complete amputations
- Finger or hand loss
- Foot or limb loss
- Thermal burns
- Electrical burns
- Arc-flash burns
- Nerve damage
- Muscle and tissue damage
- Permanent scarring
- Electrocution and fatal injuries
What an amputation, burn, or electrical injury case may be worth
The value of a FELA claim depends on the severity and permanence of the injury, surgeries and rehabilitation, future medical needs, ability to return to railroad work, lost earnings, and the evidence showing railroad negligence.
There is no standard value for these claims. Catastrophic injuries should be evaluated based on the worker’s actual medical, employment, and liability evidence.
Evidence that may matter
Important evidence can include:
- Equipment inspection and maintenance records: These may reveal defects, prior repairs, or problems involving the machinery or equipment involved.
- Electrical and power records: These can help establish whether equipment was energized, de-energized, grounded, or otherwise handled safely.
- Safety procedures and job briefings: Written procedures may show what precautions were required before the work began.
- Training and qualification records: These may help determine whether employees received appropriate instruction for electrical, mechanical, or hazardous work.
- Photos and video: Images can preserve machinery, electrical components, guarding, damage, and worksite conditions before repairs are made.
- Witness statements: Coworkers may provide important information about equipment condition, warnings, procedures, and what occurred immediately before the injury.
Learn more about amputations, severe burns, and electrical injuries on McEldrew Purtell’s main website.