Minnesota FELA Attorneys

Minnesota railways have played an important role in the state’s economy since the first trains ran between St. Paul and St. Anthony (now Minneapolis) in 1862. They were an integral part of the establishment of the state, leading west from the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. Merchandise was loaded onto railroad cars from the rivers and moved west and north to follow the settlers across the state.

Today, Minnesota railroads:

  • Are number one in the country for transporting iron ore, number three for the origination of food products and number five for the starting point for farm products
  • Emit one-third the pollution of trucks but use fuel three times more efficiently than trucks
  • Carry about three times more freight per railroad car compared to an average truck
  • Annually move thousands of cars of freight that would under other circumstances be transported by truck
  • Ship merchandise at a much lower rate than if it were shipped by trucks
  • As of 2006, had 21 railroad companies in operation covering 4,496 miles of track

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe is the biggest railroad in Minnesota. In 2006, the line in Minnesota had:

  • 33,000 grain cars and transported more grain by rail in North America than any other line
  • 2,422 employees
  • 1,598 miles of track
  • Originated 364,000 (in 2005) carloads of freight
  • Received 394,000 carloads of freight terminating in the state
  • Had spent $250 million on capital improvements

Along with this prolific activity of the railroad business in Minnesota, came serious problems of injury and death for its workers. Working on the railroad is a difficult and dangerous job. As the railroad boom spread across the nation and the heavy work of building the lines proliferated, the injuries and deaths from railroad accidents grew to epidemic proportions.

FELA Enacted to Protect Injured Railroad Workers

Eventually, under pressure from the public, railroad worker labor unions, and even President Theodore Roosevelt, Congress passed an act in 1908 to protect the workers. Called FELA (for Federal Employers’ Liability Act), the legislation granted new powers for the workers and their families to sue the railroad companies for their injuries.

Injuries commonly claimed for compensation include:

  • Disfigurement or dismemberment
  • Broken bones and joint injuries
  • Crushing injuries
  • Repetitive motion injuries
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Injuries due to exposure to toxic materials and fumes

Our lawyers, known as FELA attorneys, because they specialize in winning awards for injured railway workers and their families, have offices throughout Minnesota. If you or someone you love has been injured in a railway accident while on the job, you should contact our experienced FELA lawyers because we are the most experienced in the complicated laws of railroad compensation. Call for a free evaluation: (800) 773-6770 or send us an email and a FELA law lawyer will contact you today.