Georgia FELA Attorneys
Atlanta • Augusta • Columbus • Savannah • Marietta
The Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA) establishes procedures for injured railroad workers to follow in order to be compensated for their injuries. If you are a railroad industry employee and have been injured on the job, you face an important decision: Choosing the right attorney to represent you.
Your employer has a group of well-trained investigators ready to minimize or deny your claim. To ensure your rights are protected, you should contact an attorney who handles FELA claims exclusively.
Gordon & Elias, L.L.P. also represents FELA claimants for repetitive or cumulative trauma claims. For an in-depth discussion of the different types of cumulative claims please visit:
The law firm of Gordon & Elias, L.L.P. provides dedication representation to injured railroad workers throughout Georgia. No matter what type of injury you have sustained — from head and neck injuries to amputation — we understand the FELA rules that affect your case. Call 800-773-6770 or contact us online for a free initial consultation.
Recognizing the dangers associated with jobs in the railroad industry, Congress enacted FELA in 1908. Before FELA, railroad workers who were injured on the job were not given the legal authority to recover compensation for their injuries caused wholly or in part by railroad employers. Congress addressed the problem of railroad worker injury claims by allowing them to file FELA claims for damages in either state or federal court.
FELA also makes it easier to prove the railroad's liability, reducing the burden of proof for ordinary negligence and, in some cases, actually waiving the need to prove negligence if the railroad violated a safety statute or regulation.
At Gordon & Elias, L.L.P., we can help you in every facet of your FELA claim. Whether you have questions about the FELA claims process or want to learn about the types of damages that may be available in your case, we can help.
We limit the number of cases we handle so we can focus fully on helping you — the injured railroad worker. When you choose us to represent you, we will not pass your case on to an associate or paralegal — your case will get your attorney's full attention.
Although the railroad industry has become a safer place to work, railroad workers still face dangers and risks while on the job. Gordon & Elias, L.L.P. is here to provide you with dedicated representation in your railroad worker injury claim. Contact a lawyer today to schedule a free initial consultation about how we handle FELA claims.
The following is a list of all the common carrier railroads operating in Georgia and covered under FELA:
Athens Line, LLC (ABR), Augusta and Summerville Railroad (AUS), operated by CSX and Norfolk Southern, Chattahoochee Industrial Railroad (CIRR), Chattooga and Chickamauga Railway (CCKY), CSX Transportation (CSX), First Coast Railroad (FCRD), Fulton County Railway (FCR), Georgia Central Railway (GC), Georgia and Florida Railway (GFRR), Georgia Midland Railroad (GMR), Georgia Northeastern Railroad (GNRR), Georgia Southwestern Railroad (GSWR), Georgia Woodlands Railroad (GWRC), Golden Isles Terminal Railroad (GITM), Great Walton Railroad (GRWR), Hartwell Railroad (HRT), Heart of Georgia Railroad (HOG), Louisville and Wadley Railway (LW), Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) including subsidiaries Alabama Great Southern Railroad (AGS), Central of Georgia Railroad (CG), and Georgia Southern and Florida Railway (GSF), Riceboro Southern Railway (RSOR), St. Mary's Railroad (SM), St. Marys Railway West (SMW), Sandersville Railroad (SAN), Savannah Port Terminal Railroad (SAPT) and Valdosta Railway (VR). Finally, Amtrak (AMTK) and Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority operate as passenger carriers.
The above railroads range from Class I through Class III railroads and some are very small short line railroad companies. Nevertheless, anyone injured while working for these railroads would have a FELA claim and should report their claim and seek legal advice.
Athens • Macon • Roswell • Albany • Johns Creek
51 years of Combined Experience Representing Injured Railroad Workers
Designated Legal Counsel (DLC) and non-DLC FELA Lawyers Practice the Same FELA Law
In most instances, the injured railworker is a member of a union. Unions such as the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way (BMWE), the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), both of which are under the Brotherhood of International Teamsters (BIT), have large numbers of workers in the rail industry. Other Unions include:
- American Train Dispatchers Department Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers ATDA
- Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen BRS
- International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers IBB
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers IBEW
- National Conference of Firemen and Oilers of SEIU IBF&O
- Sheet Metal Workers' International Association SMWIA
- Transportation Communication Union-Clerks TCU-BRAC
- Transportation Communication Union-Carman TCU-BRC
- United Transportation Union UTU
Whatever your Union, more than likely they will have a designated union counsel. These DLC firms practice FELA law. There are many other law firms that do not have Union designation and they also practice FELA law. In every instance when you are injured, a claims agent will try to immediately take a statement from you. You should definitely speak to a FELA Lawyer, DLC or Non-DLC, before you give a statement to a claims agent. As to choosing a DLC or a non-DLC, you should choose the lawyer that you feel comfortable with and you should not be "pushed" to hire any lawyer. A FELA Lawyer can help you pursue a claim for railroad workers' compensation, i.e., FELA, if you have been injured.
