By: Mark Glen Sokoloff
Train accidents can result in serious, if not fatal, injuries. Most of these injuries are due to negligent failures of railroad workers’ employers or common carriers, leaving innocent victims and their families’ lives forever changed. Working so closely to potential dangers, railroad employees are especially at risk. Hach & Rose, LLP is dedicated to helping piece together the shattered lives of such injured railroad workers, aggressively pursuing the fullest recovery possible under the Federal Employer’s Liability Act (FELA).
What is FELA?
FELA is a federal law that protects and compensates railroad workers injured on the job due to the negligence of railroad officers, agents, or employees. FELA does not only cover bodily injuries, but also injuries due to asbestos exposure and injuries that accumulate over time due to the nature of railroad work. In addition to having broader coverage than workers’ compensation claims, FELA awards are generally much higher.
Proudly Representing FELA Claims
This past February Hach & Rose, LLP represented an injured railroad worker. The firm’s team of attorneys consisted of senior partner, Michael Rose, and Mark Sokoloff – an esteemed FELA attorney with over 30 years of experience, including designated counsel to many railroad organizations. Working as a gang foreman for the Long Island Railroad, their client was thrown from the shuttle wagon he was operating when a portion of the attached train derailed. As a result, their client sustained injuries to his neck and head.
While the initial diagnosis was a neck sprain which their client received minor treatment for, he continued to suffer intensifying pain in his neck. Further diagnoses revealed more severe injuries. Although their client had a related pre-existing condition, the team successfully argued that the derailment was the cause of his injuries. Even though the injuries were sustained almost 12 years prior to the jury verdict, the team proved the Railroad’s liability, and their client’s lack thereof. The client was awarded $1,400,000.
Why $1.4 Million?
The goal of civil lawsuits is to make injured victims whole again. While it is impossible to erase past injuries and the unique impact they had, and continue to have, Hach & Rose, LLP ensures it will pursue all ends to provide injured railroad workers the closest possible alternative. The team considered all affected areas of their client’s life, like pain endured on a daily basis, the limiting aspects of everyday life, and even the impact the injury had on their client enjoying his favorite hobby – repairing and restoring old classic cars. The team’s thorough and empathetic approach was a driving force in attaining such a high recovery.
Proven Track Record
Hach & Rose, LLP ensures that all the firm’s attorneys spend the time to familiarize themselves with each client’s life and needs, using all related impairments as a weapon against those culpable. The firm’s FELA lawyers proven success in representing injured railroad workers is demonstrated by significant results and grateful clients, truly setting Hach & Rose, LLP apart from other firms representing FELA claims.