Dos and Don’ts for Railroaders When Reporting an Injury
If you’re a railroader who is hurt on the job, a lot goes through your mind when it happens. In the immediate aftermath of an accident, you may not be thinking clearly, and a hasty decision can lead to serious consequences down the road. Here’s a list of essential dos and don’ts you should keep in mind if you suffer an injury while working on the railroad: DO seek immediate medical assistance if your injuries are significant. DO report the accident to your supervisor and fill out an accident report/injury form as soon as you are able. Even if your…
What You Should Do if You’re a Railroader Injured at Work
If you are a railroader and you suffer an injury on the job, there are several steps you should take, as soon as you are able, in order to protect both your health and financial future. Obviously, if your injury is serious, you should seek immediate medical assistance. Additionally, as soon as you are able to, contact your union representative, report the injury to your supervisor, and fill out an accident report/injury statement. You should do this even if the injury seems minor or inconsequential, in case your symptoms worsen later. It is crucial to understand that railroad management and the claims…
Car Accidents Happen Every 5 Seconds in the U.S. and Cost Hundreds of Billions Each Year
We often think of automobile accidents as things that happen to “other people.” How many times have you driven past an accident site or seen a wrecked car on the side of the road and been relieved that it wasn’t you? If you’re lucky, you’ve never been in a serious accident or suffered an injury in a car crash, but you never know when your good luck might run out. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 1 out of every 45 motor vehicles registered in the United States was involved in an accident in 2014. One out…
NTSB Records Exonerate Engineer In Train 89 Accident
On April 3, 2015, Amtrak passenger train 89, traveling from New York City to Savannah, Georgia struck a backhoe near Chester, Pennsylvania, killing the backhoe operator and a supervisor. The train was carrying 337 passengers and seven crew members when it struck the backhoe at 110 mph. This week, the National Transportation Safety Board made public its docket of the investigation, including hundreds of pages of interviews, test results and analyses. Among the injured was engineer Alexander Hunter. Although Mr. Hunter’s post-accident toxicological testing showed a very small level of cannabis in his system, the NTSB records make clear that…
Understanding the 3 Federal Acts that Protect Railroad Workers
If you work in the railroad industry, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to familiarize yourself with the laws that protect you if you suffer an injury on the job. Three important federal acts hold the railroad responsible for negligent safety procedures and can help secure your financial peace of mind should an accident prevent you from being able to earn a living. The most important piece of legislation is the Federal Employers’ Liability Act of 1908 (FELA). FELA grants injured railroaders the right to sue their employer and recover damages for lost wages, past and future; out-of-pocket…
Whistleblower Law Protects Rail Workers with Non Work Related Medical Conditions
In a major decision that will help railroad employees, the United States Department of Labor Administrative Review Board (ARB) has confirmed that the Federal Rail Safety Act (FRSA), subsection (c)(2) regarding “Prompt medical attention” protects an injured rail worker for non-work related medical condition treatment when that treatment is as a result of a physician’s treatment plan. A final decision and order was presented by the ARB last month in the case of Williams v. Grand Trunk Western Railroad. The ARB rejected an earlier decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals which limited Whistleblower protections to work-related injuries. In…
After Years of Decline, Medical Malpractice is on the Rise
We trust our doctors and other healthcare professionals to always be acting in our best interests during our most critical times of need. It is that faith in their expertise and level of care that makes medical malpractice such a painful ordeal for its victims, both medically and financially. Sadly, evidence suggests that medical malpractice is increasing; payouts in medical malpractice cases totaled nearly $3.9 billion dollars in the United States in 2014, according to a report from Diederich Insurance Agency, a leading provider of medical malpractice insurance. That is up 4.4 percent from 2013’s figures, which were themselves up…
Myers Lafferty Gives Back During the Holiday Season
Courtney Johnson, a paralegal at Myers Lafferty, welcomed Marines from local Philadelphia battalion, 3D Battalion 14th Marines, to the office to pick up the firm’s Toys for Tots donations. The firm held a toy drive during the recent holiday party held on December 10. Since 1947, Toys for Tots has been ensuring that children have a happy holiday. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program collects unwrapped toys for disadvantaged children during October, November and December. Learn more about local collections here.
Pennsylvania Nursing Home Oversight Gets $1.25 Million Boost from Court Settlement
Nearly one out of every 10 seniors living in nursing homes or assisted living facilities is neglected every year. As the elderly are often unable to protect themselves, such abuse can continue for months or years and result in serious injury – or even death. Reliant Senior Care Holdings, an Eddystone-based nursing home operator, was accused of violating Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. The company was charged with making false promises about its level of care while leaving its facilities understaffed and unable to meet its residents’ basic needs for care. At its simplest level, Reliant’s crime was…
Railroad Retirement Benefits to Increase Slightly in 2017
If you’re a retired railroader, you might be accustomed to making do with a fixed budget every month on your Railroad Retirement Board pension. The good news is that your railroad retirement benefits will increase in 2017 – but you might not want to make plans to buy a new car just yet. The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, is a measure of the change in price of basic household goods and services in the United States – a cost-of-living measure, to put it simply. As it goes up, so do government-mandated retirement benefits, though there is some delay. The…
