Permanent Disabilities
Permanent disabilities have befallen many railroad workers injured on the job. Thousands of people are injured every year while working in the railroad industry, and a significant portion of those individuals suffer permanent disabilities, ending their working years prematurely and leaving them with sometimes-overwhelming costs.
If you or someone you love suffered permanent disabilities while working as a railroad employee, our FELA lawyers may be able to help you recover compensation for your medical costs, lost wages and other financial losses. To find out how we can help you, please contact us today.
What Constitutes a Permanent Disability?
A permanent disability is caused by an injury or medical condition that impairs the physical and/or mental ability of a person to perform his or her normal work and non-occupational activities for the remainder of his or her life. Examples of potential causes of permanent disabilities are severe injuries, such as those caused by:
- fires
- explosions
- collisions
- falls
- repetitive trauma
- electrocution
- many forms of cancer (including mesothelioma and lung cancer) and diseases such as multiple sclerosis
How Do I Know Whether I Have a Permanent Disability?
In the early days after a severe injury or as a disease progresses, it can be difficult to know whether the injury or disease will culminate into a permanent disability. Of course, a diagnosis and prognosis (prediction) by one or more MDs (licensed physicians) are often the best determinants of a permanent disability, but in some cases the injured or sick individual must prove his or her disability to an adjudicator in order to collect permanent disability payments.
The Federal Employers Liability Act, or FELA, is the relevant law for railroad workers who are suffering from a permanent disability. When the injury or disease underlying a permanent disability is due to working conditions or to the negligence or recklessness of another party (e.g., the employer railroad, fellow employees, or the manufacturer of equipment), the person with the permanent disability may be eligible for compensation, for costs such as:
- medical treatment — short-term and long-term or lifelong
- physical therapy
- occupational therapy
- home visits by healthcare providers
- out-of-pocket expenses such as help around the home
- lost income
- emotional suffering, including that due to disfigurement and depression
Explore Your FELA Rights
Railroad workers who have incurred an injury or disease that may be due to workplace circumstances (especially those who are suffering from a permanent disability) should talk to a FELA attorney about their rights and options. Our FELA lawyers work hard to make sure our clients get the full amount of compensation owed to them by law. To schedule a review of your case, contact us today.
Learn more about other types of railroad injuries and dangers:
