FELA Attorney

FELA Lawsuits – Why You Need Help with your Case

Railroad workers face daunting physical challenges every day that they report for work. This is not only a reality, but an ongoing problem, as railroad worker injuries are often extremely serious, and the nature of their injuries when combined with the nature of their duties often prevents them from being able to work and to continue to earn income. This loss of income, when combined with the costs that are always associated with the necessary medical care creates an extremely stressful situation for everyone involved.

If you have been injured while working for a railroad, the last thing you should do is attempt to work through a legal claim under FELA by yourself. There are many reasons not to do this, and a few of them are detailed below, but in the meantime, if you do need legal help with your railroad-related injuries, contact a FELA lawyer at Williams Kherkher immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.

Reason One – FELA is Complicated

The first reason not to bring a FELA claim by yourself is because the law itself is hundreds of pages long and extremely complicated. It was originally passed in 1908, and since then FELA has undergone many changes based on judges' interpretations of this wide-ranging statute. Unless you're an attorney or have some sort of extensive legal background, it would be almost impossible to gain the proper understanding of how this statute will be applied to the facts of your case in federal court.

Reason Two – Defense Attorneys

Another reason not to pursue a claim alone is because of the adversarial parties you will soon meet after you file your claim. Much as you have the right to bring a claim under FELA, your employer has the right to defend itself against this claim. What this means for you is that after your claim is filed, you will be dealing with skilled defense attorneys who will have years of experience in working with FELA and the intricacies contained therein.

The knowledge gap that will usually exist presents a marked disadvantage to the injured party, as he or she does not usually have a law degree, and that employee will soon be inundated with discovery requests, the need to file the proper pleadings in a timely manner and depositions that can be exhausting in nature. Even one misstep in this regard can seriously harm your case if not leading to its dismissal in some circumstances.

Rest assured that if you have been injured while working on a railroad, you do have legal rights and options under FELA. However, in order to make sure that your rights are properly enforced, contact a FELA lawyer at Williams Kherkher today to schedule a free initial consultation.