By John Cooper, Railroad Accident/FELA Attorney

A 131-car Iowa Interstate freight train carrying flammable ethanol derailed at about 2 am on October 6, 2011, forcing the evacuation of Tiskilwa, Illinois (IL). No injuries to residents have been reported at this time, but it remains unconfirmed whether all of the train crew members escaped the accident without injury.

Trains carrying ethanol use the tracks through Tiskilwa every day, but residents told reporters that recent track work has been followed by faster moving trains, according to ABC News. ”Our house is 135 years old and strong, but we feel it when those tankers go through, so we notice a difference,” said Marilea Bensen, a resident of Tiskilwa.

Was this train wreck caused by a train traveling too fast? We will have to wait and see what the investigation reveals. If it turns out a crew member, or members, were injured in this derailment and the accident was caused by negligent operation, they should consult with a FELA attorney. When a rail employee is hurt in a work-related accident caused by negligence, the employee can pursue damages under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act. This is different from other workers who can pursue compensation through Workers Comp.

To learn more about FELA, check out these Frequently Asked Questions that are answered by experienced FELA lawyers.

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About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton is an injury law firm whose attorneys have long histories of representing railroad workers in FELA and other railroad injury cases.  Attorneys will our firm have served as chairmen of the Railroad section of the American Association for Justice. One of our attorneys wrote a major attorney’s encyclopedia section on railroad safety litigation. Check out our railroad injury case results to see for yourself. Our offices are in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), and Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Our lawyers also hold licenses to practice in South Carolina (SC), West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL) and Washington, DC, and have handled hundreds of railroad injury and FELA cases throughout the eastern United States. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. We would like to send you one of our FREE reports about railroad injury and FELA cases, such as Dos and Don’ts When Injured at a Railroad — Yours FELA Rights and What Railroad Claim Agents Won’t Tell You (But You Must Know). We provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042 before giving any statement or talking to a railroad claims agent. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly moderate the Yardlimits Railroad Community Forum and donate to the Fallen Brother Fund.