by Randy Appleton, Virginia FELA and Railroad Accident Attorney

What Happened:

A train derailment has claimed the life of one railroad worker and seriously injured another in Virginia. The train accident occurred on December 9, 2012 in St. Charles, VA. A CSX train car full of coal derailed and tipped over onto a van in which the two men were sitting. Both men were transported to hospitals, where one of the victims died early the next day. Police are still trying to determine what caused the train to derail.

The Virginia Injury Lawyer’s Perspective:

As Virginia attorneys who represent injured railroad workers, we are all too familiar with the many dangers associated with working around trains, including the threat of mesothelioma, a cancer caused by breathing in asbestos particles commonly found in and around trains. This tragic accident is unusual because the victims were injured while in a van, but the result is just as sad. One family has lost a loved one, and another family is watching a loved one struggling to recover. Our hearts go out to these victims and their families.

Potentially Helpful Info:

Our Virginia railroad and FELA attorneys have written a guide to help those who have been injured while working for the railroad. It provides information regarding what to do if you are injured on the job and what is covered by FELA.

Have Questions? Check Out Our Firm’s FAQs:

These answers to frequently asked questions regarding railroad injuries is a good place to start if you have been injured by a train or are suffering from a railroad-related illness.

About the Editors: The Virginia- and Carolina-based attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have long histories of representing railroad workers in FELA and other railroad injury cases and of helping victims of rail crossing accidents. Lawyers at our firm have served as chairmen of the railroad section of the American Association for Justice, the largest national victim’s injury attorney organization, and one of our attorneys wrote a major legal encyclopedia section on railroad safety litigation. Check out our railroad injury case results to see for yourself. Be sure to get your free reports about railroad injury, disease and wrongful death FELA cases: The Do’s and Don’ts When Injured at a Railroad — Yours FELA Rights and What Railroad Claim Agents Won’t Tell You (But You Must Know). Also, our railroad injury lawyers proudly donate to the Fallen Brother Fund.

MH