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Train & Railroad Accidents

The Average Train Car Weighs as Much as a Fully-Loaded Semi-Truck 

Louisiana Train & Railroad Accident Attorneys

Baton Rouge Law Firm Fighting to Protect Workers, Passengers & Pedestrians

Around 1,000 train and railroad accidents occur each year in our country. Because these machines are so difficult to stop, these accidents often cause severe injury or death. Accidents affect both passengers and pedestrians crossing railways, as well as train workers. CNN recently included industrial repairmen in their list of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the U.S., with rail yard engineers not too far from that list either. As these structures glide over every corner of our large country, especially in the rural areas of Louisiana, you need legal protection to help you secure compensation in the event that you are wrongfully injured, and Arnold & Itkin is the team to help you.

Contact our Louisiana train accident lawyers for the aggressive representation and compassionate support you deserve.

Understanding the Federal Employers Liability Act

Shortened as FELA, this Act was initially influenced by President Harrison in the late 19th century. The railroads were becoming perhaps the nation’s largest priority, putting hundreds of thousands of Americans to work, and unfortunately exposing them to the industry’s many dangers. President Harrison realized that these workers had little to no protection in one of the deadliest jobs known at that time, and FELA was eventually passed in 1908.

Under FELA, train and railroad workers and their families since have had rights to pursue compensation from their employers if placed in unsafe working conditions that cause injury or death. FELA has since influenced a widespread cracking down on workplace safety in the railroad industry because employers would rather keep their workers and avoid large payouts. However, railroad workers still face real dangers.

Common Dangers for Workers in the Railroad Industry

Aside from commonplace accidents, railroad workers may face severe illnesses related to the harmful and hazardous chemicals with which they work. These harmful substances include:

  • Asbestos
  • Lead
  • Liquefied petroleum gas
  • Diesel fuel
  • Heavy metals
  • Benzene

Regardless of you or your loved ones’ injury or illness, it may have been due to unsafe working conditions, which employers in the railroad industry are legally required to provide. If you are a Louisiana railroad worker, or were at one time, our team wants to learn more about damages you have suffered while working on trains or railroads.

Protecting Passengers & Pedestrians from Train Injuries

Railroads cover a considerable amount of the surface area of our large nation. Many of these railways wind through mountainous regions and areas covered by overgrown trees that block visibility. This poses a significant danger when objects block the tracks. Some train conductors will not be able to see the obstruction in time, and trains are difficult enough to stop in an emergency as it is. These kinds of scenarios put both pedestrians surrounding the train and the train passengers themselves in danger of their lives.

Aside from obstructions on the railroad, causes of train accidents also include:

  • Malfunctioning crossties
  • Unsafe speed of travel
  • Delay in applying brakes
  • Switch failure

Although trains and railroads are being updated, many of them still use old, mechanical technology that is prone to malfunction. When combined with the magnitude of these machines, serious injury and even death often occur. When these tragedies happen, it is important to choose the best legal representation available to stand up for you against the large railroad companies.

Selecting Your Louisiana Train & Railroad Injury Attorney

Although you are protected under FELA as a railroad worker, it will still require extensive legal prowess in order to prove that you or your loved one’s injury was the direct fault of an employer. It will also take qualified legal defense in order to fight the big railroad companies for compensation in the event that you were hurt in an accident either as a passenger or as a pedestrian. When selecting your Louisiana personal injury firm, you will need the kind of representation that has stood against Fortune 500 companies and won record-breaking verdicts for the injured.

You will need the help of Arnold & Itkin. Call our offices today at (888) 493-1629 to schedule your free case evaluation.

Case Results

Check Out Our Victories

  • $8 Billion Top 3 Largest Jury Verdict in U.S. History Arnold & Itkin tried a case against Johnson & Johnson for failing to warn about a drug’s most damaging side effects: gynecomastia. Our skill, hard work, and dedication resulted in the third-largest jury verdict ever obtained for an individual ...
  • $357 Million Largest Workplace Accident Settlement in Texas History Arnold & Itkin LLP secured a massive nine-figure settlement against a transnational corporation for a workplace incident. The settlement set a Texas record for being the largest personal injury settlement in the state’s history.
  • $222 Million Record-Breaking Verdict for Widow Our firm won $222 million for a woman who lost her husband in an industrial accident caused by a faulty valve. We took the case to trial because the at-fault company refused to take responsibility. The jury saw through the corporate lies and double ...
  • $205 Million Confidential Settlement Obtained for Numerous Clients Arnold & Itkin reached a record $205,000,000 settlement on behalf of clients after several years of hard-fought litigation. The case settled just before trial was set to begin.
  • $193 Million Settlement Won for Victims of Pipeline Explosion Offshore injury lawyers at Arnold & Itkin fought for two workers who were injured in a pipeline explosion at sea, one of whom passed away. Our relentless investigation and advocacy resulted in a nine-figure settlement that will provide for our ...
  • $171 Million One of the Largest Confidential Settlements in History Arnold & Itkin worked over the course of several years to represent clients in a case that many other law firms turned down. In the end, we were able to obtain a record-setting confidential settlement.
  • $139 Million Massive Settlement Achieved for Victims of an Oilfield Incident Arnold & Itkin LLP negotiated a huge $139,000,000 settlement for injured families affected by an oilfield incident in the eastern United States, settling one week before trial.
  • $125 Million Settlement Won for Widow of Dredge Worker Offshore lawyers at Arnold & Itkin LLP won a nine-figure settlement for a woman who lost her husband in a pipeline explosion. By pushing the case toward trial, our firm pressured the defendant into settling with our client, allowing her to rebuild ...
  • $117 Million Largest Single-Event Personal Injury Verdict in Louisiana History Arnold & Itkin represented a pregnant woman who experienced stomach pain and called Acadian Ambulance. The driver of the ambulance drove the ambulance into the back of a sugar cane truck causing the plaintiff's spine to be severed at T4 and for her ...
  • $116 Million Confidential Settlement Arnold & Itkin LLP negotiated a massive nine figure settlement on behalf of their clients after several years of hard fought litigation.
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“I have eight brothers and sisters. Family means a lot to me. When Arnold & Itkin stepped up the way they did, and treated me the way they did, it felt like family.”
Christopher Workplace Explosion Victim

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