It should come as no surprise to those who work in and around rail yards that these are some of the most dangerous places of employment today.  Heavy machinery, noise pollution, and neglected maintenance and repair all contribute to create a hazardous place where an Illinois rail yard injury can easily occur.

Injuries that can result in an Illinois railyard injury

An Illinois rail yard injury can occur in a variety of devastating ways that include the following:

• Being struck by a train
• Equipment malfunction
• Poorly maintained tracks
• Toxic substances on the train
• Signal or sign defects

Compensation from a Illinois rail yard injury

Railroad workers are not entitled to ordinary workers compensation.  Instead, they must follow guidelines from the Federal Employers Liability Act, or FELA, when seeking legal redress for an Illinois railroad injury.

You may be entitled to a great deal of compensation for any injuries received, given the many ways one can come to harm from an Illinois railroad injury.  For example:

• A neck and hand injury led to a $450,000 award to an engineer when he sued an Illinois railroad company
• Neck and wrist injuries resulted in a $750,000 settlement when a plaintiff filed suit against  Illinois Central Gulf Railroad
• A rail yard employee received $1,200,000 when he suffered a knee injury working for Illinois Central Gulf Railroad

Do not assume you are not eligible for compensation until you speak to an experienced railroad accident attorney. Due to the statute of limitations in Illinois, you may only get one chance at compensation for your railroad injury.