Railroad Employee Claims Work Caused Injuries

An employee of Union Pacific Railroad has filed a personal injury suit against his employer, claiming that his work for the company caused him to sustain personal injuries to his neck and back.

According to the suit filed by Joseph L. Johnson in Illinois’ St. Clair County Circuit Court on March 2, he was employed by Union Pacific as a foreman, trackman, and operator on October 17, 2006, when a tie inserter derailed and struck the rail in a “hard, violent” manner, causing him injuries.

Johnson also claims to have been subjected to numerous repetitive traumas during his railroad track repair career. He claims those traumas caused him to sustain neck, back, and spine injuries that caused him great pain and mental anguish as well as a loss of money.

Johnson also claims to have experienced diminished earning capacity and incurred medical costs.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of Union Pacific for failure to provide a safe workplace, failure to provide safe work methods, failure to provide a sufficient amount of manpower, failure to provide tools and equipment that were safe, and failure to provide proper maintenance on Johnson’s equipment.

Johnson seeks damages in excess of $100,000, plus costs, from the two-count suit.