Daniel Purtell

Trial Experience Representing Injured Railroad Workers

Dan Purtell is a founding partner and lead trial attorney at McEldrew Purtell with significant experience representing railroad workers in serious injury claims, including cases arising under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA).

Dan approaches railroad cases as a trial lawyer. He has tried more than 25 cases to verdict during his career and has resolved more than 100 additional matters through mediation or arbitration. His experience handling complex catastrophic injury cases informs how he investigates railroad incidents, develops evidence, works with experts, evaluates damages, and prepares cases for trial.

Experience With Serious Railroad Injuries

Railroad injury cases can involve complex questions about how work was assigned, what equipment was provided, whether a workplace or procedure was reasonably safe, and what the railroad knew or should have known before an injury occurred.

Dan has represented railroad workers in cases involving unsafe working conditions, inadequate equipment, serious traumatic injuries, and other allegations of railroad negligence. His work includes FELA claims and significant railroad injury litigation involving employees whose injuries have permanently affected their ability to work and live as they did before the incident.

That experience has given Dan an understanding of both the legal standards involved in railroad cases and the importance of documenting how an injury affects a railroad worker long after the initial incident.

Railroad Trial Results

Dan has been involved in significant results for injured railroad workers.

In one case, Dan obtained a $15 million jury verdict for a railroad electrician who suffered debilitating injuries after nearly 6,000 pounds of copper wire fell on him. The case involved injuries that were not readily visible on diagnostic imaging and required the trial team to demonstrate the full extent of the worker’s limitations and damages to the jury.

Dan and attorney Colin Haviland also obtained a $700,000 FELA settlement for a railroad worker who suffered serious injuries after his employer failed to provide proper equipment for a job that required moving an excavator bucket weighing more than 300 pounds.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its specific facts and legal circumstances.

Preparing Railroad Cases for Trial

FELA cases require more than establishing that an injury occurred at work. Developing a strong claim may require examining the railroad’s conduct, work practices, equipment, training, safety procedures, witness testimony, medical evidence, and the long-term effect of the injury on the employee’s career.

Dan’s trial experience shapes the way he approaches these cases from the beginning. Evidence is developed with trial in mind, particularly when a railroad disputes the severity of an injury, challenges causation, or attempts to place responsibility on the injured employee.

His work in the railroad field also includes membership in the Academy of Rail Labor Attorneys, an organization of attorneys who represent railroad employees.

Focused on the Impact of a Railroad Injury

A serious railroad injury can affect far more than an employee’s immediate medical treatment. It can jeopardize a railroad career, reduce future earning capacity, create permanent physical limitations, and affect a worker and family for years.

Dan’s role is to develop the evidence necessary to demonstrate the full impact and pursue accountability when unsafe conditions or railroad negligence contribute to an employee’s injuries.

Learn More About Daniel Purtell

This page focuses specifically on Dan’s experience representing railroad workers and handling railroad injury litigation.

For his complete professional background, education, broader litigation experience, professional memberships, recognition, and additional case results, view Daniel Purtell’s full biography on the McEldrew Purtell website.