Mississippi FELA Attorneys 

The first railroad to be built in the state of Mississippi was the West Feliciana Railroad, finished in 1842 to run the 25 miles between St. Francisville and Woodville. The line carried cotton, and despite its small size, lasted 136 years until it became part of the Illinois Central, which was a significant railroad in the state.

The most well known railroads in Mississippi are the:

  • Illinois Central (IC)
  • Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad (GM&O)
  • Southern Railway
  • Louisville & Nashville Railroad
  • Missouri Pacific Railroad
  • St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco)

Eventually, the IC and the GM&O merged, and for a short while was known as the Illinois Gulf Central. The slogan of the IC described it well: The Main Line of Mid-America. Its primary purpose was to haul freight from Chicago to New Orleans. Today it is owned by the Canadian National railroad, but it still carries its old IC name.

Called the Rebel Route, the GM&O ran only 40 years and was built when diesel power was first being used. In 1972 the IC and the G&O merged to become the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad. The system had a difficult time financially, and began to sell off or abandon miles of tracks until it ran about 2,800 miles.

Mississippi Railroad Industry Today

Today, Mississippi railroads have almost as many Class I railroads as it ever had. These include:

Railroad Industry Brings Potential Risks to Workers

Working for the railroads always had its risks. This was true both for those who helped to build the tracks as well as those who worked the trains. In the early years of railroading, workers had little recourse when injured in a train or track building accident. They weren’t covered by workmen’s compensation.

Railroad building grew at a frenzied pace in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s and the toll on its workers continued to mount. The building and running of all these lines always had its difficulties. Accidents among railroad workers were common, due to the heavy lifting, work with dangerous materials, building and laying tracks by hand, and long hours.

Common injuries among railroad workers include:

  • Crushing injuries
  • Burns
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Head and neck injuries
  • Dismemberment and disfigurement
  • Joint injuries, especially to the knees and shoulders
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Injuries due to exposure to toxic substances and fumes
  • Cumulative injuries, also known as repetitive stress injuries
  • Illness from toxic exposure

Reacting to public pressure and railroad worker union demands, Congress passed the Federal Employer’s Liability Act (FELA) Act of 1908. Finally, there were laws to protect the railroad workers and hold the companies running the railroads responsible for their injuries.

Talk to a FELA Lawyer About Your Mississippi Claim

Today, our FELA lawyers are available to help workers and their families be compensated for on-the-job injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured in a railroad accident, one of our Mississippi FELA attorneys would be pleased to offer you a free initial consultation to discuss the details of your case. Our FELA lawyers can help workers in Mississippi and throughout the entire country with their FELA claims.