FELA lawsuit underscores risk of spinal cord damage to rail workers

Union Pacific Railroad Company is facing a lawsuit from a worker alleging that he was injured after forced to repeatedly carry heavy objects.  The victim, a conductor named David Brinkley, claims that he had to carry awkwardly shaped objects over uneven ballast surfaces in addition to having to climb in and out of railroad cars to operate poorly maintained switches.

All of this work, Brinkley alleges, caused him to develop a degenerative spinal condition that has led to great pain, disability, mental anguish and a loss of income.  He is seeking more than $250,000 plus costs.

Spinal cord damage can be very serious, especially for rail workers, many of whom depend on being physically fit to do their job.  Unfortunately, spine injures are not uncommon given the taxing nature of railway work.

Rail workers can injure their spines in falls, accidents, collisions, or they can be hurt by repetitive motion tasks.  Spine injuries can be debilitating, requiring surgery, rehabilitation, or physical therapy.  They can also lead to a worker being unable to perform their job duties, which can lead to a loss of income.  If a spine injury is serious enough, a rail worker could be out of a job completely. 

Please read more about rail workers and spine injuries in our law library article “Rail workers deserve compensation for serious spine injuries” and contact our office to discuss your situation for no cost or obligation.