FELA Lawyer

Railroad Injuries and Psychological Trauma

Railroad workers face more than enough risks at their jobs: large and dangerous machinery, exposure to toxic chemicals, and accidents caused by drivers or other third parties. Unfortunately, there is another large danger in addition to all of these: the toll that heavy stress and traumatic accidents can take on workers’ mental health. Although these important issues have been largely overlooked for many years, current research is raising awareness among psychologists, workers, and employers.

Traumatic Events

A person may be strongly emotionally affected by an event that directly threatened his or her life, or by witnessing the severe injury or death of another person. Stressful events which railroad employees are commonly forced to cope with include:

• Near-collisions between trains
• Derailments
• Railroad crossing accidents
• Suicides on train tracks
• Large-scale collisions or other accidents

It is common for survivors of any of these events to feel stress, anxiety, and guilt. For some workers these feelings decrease over time, especially if they receive the support they need. For other workers, however, these feelings persist and begin to interfere with their daily lives.

Signs of Trauma

The lingering feelings after a traumatic event can sometimes develop into a psychological disorder. The most common diagnoses in these circumstances are Acute Stress Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The primary difference between them is the time of onset and duration of symptoms.

The symptoms of ASD begin within one month of the event and generally fade with time. If symptoms begin later or persist for long periods of time, it is considered PTSD. Common symptoms of either disorder include:

• Insomnia
• A feeling of constant alertness known as hypervigilance
• Depression
• Severe guilt
• Avoidant behavior

Contact a FELA Attorney

It is not easy to win damages for PTSD from a negligent employer, but it is possible with the aid of an experienced lawyer. Contact FELA lawyers of Williams Kherkher at 800-220-9341.