For some railroad workers, traveling long distances is a necessity. As such, the railroad often provides employees with transportation to overnight lodging. However, when the transportation or hotel is unsafe, you can sustain an injury. If this has happened to you, you may not know that you could be eligible for compensation under FELA. Read on to learn what your rights are when you’re hurt by company accommodations and why it’s in your best interest to connect with a railroad-provided hotels/accommodations injury lawyer to discuss your circumstances further.
What Accommodations Can Cause an Injury?
Generally, there are two instances in which you may sustain an injury because of accommodations provided by the railroad company – transportation and lodging.
For example, if you are in a van collision when on your way back to the hotel after working on a job site, you’ll find that you can sustain several injuries. These include broken bones, sprains, strains, lacerations, burns, traumatic brain injuries, and internal organ damage. Unfortunately, because railroad transporters are often exhausted and overworked, accidents can occur more frequently.
Additionally, you may sustain injuries due to the negligence of the hotel the railroad has secured your accommodations with. Most commonly, these accidents are slips and falls in which someone walking will lose their footing or trip over a hazard on the ground. Wet spots, broken flooring, unsecured cords, or unshoveled snow can cause someone to sustain injuries. However, additional premises liability incidents, like being struck by an unsecured fixture or hurt as a result of inadequate hotel security can lead to injuries.
Am I Eligible to File a FELA Claim?
If you are injured because the van driver was directly responsible for the injury, you can likely file a FELA claim. This is because the company or driver was hired by the railroad company to perform a task, and their negligence was what caused the collision.
Additionally, if you are injured because of the conditions of the hotel you are staying in, you may be able to hold the railroad company liable for the damages you’ve sustained. This is due to the fact that you are staying at the hotel because the railroad is paying for it because you must be away from home to perform the duties of your employment. The railroad has a non-delegable duty to provide you with a reasonably safe workplace. This means that they can’t delegate the responsibility of your safety to another person or entity – including the transportation or hotel company.
As you can imagine, many complications can arise when injured because of the negligence of a third party involved with the railroad company. As such, it’s in your best interest to connect with an experienced FELA attorney to explore your rights during these matters.
At Doran & Murphy, we understand how complex these matters can be, which is why we are dedicated to doing everything possible to fight for you. Contact our firm today to learn how we can assist you.
