$5,528,688 verdict in favor of a Union Pacific employee for crushed fingers
While working as a truck driver/ground person for the Union Pacific Railroad, the plaintiff was attempting to maneuver a 55-pound weight, known as a pedestal, on a flatcar. The pedestal tended to get jammed in the track of the car because of rust and dirt accumulations. While attempting to maneuver the pedestal into a pocket, the pedestal collapsed on the ends of the plaintiff’s two fingers, fracturing both and causing complex regional pain syndrome
The plaintiff argued that the railroad did not provide a safe workplace or appropriate tools to do the job safely in violation of the Federal Employer’s Liability Act. The railroad argued that all the plaintiff’s problems were pre-existing.
The jury found Union Pacific Railroad negligent and awarded the plaintiff $5,528,688 gross.