St. Louis Railroad Worker Total Disability Attorneys

Total Disability

There are many hazardous conditions on any given railroad worksite that can lead to a devastating railroad work accident in Missouri. Workers who have sustained a serious injury may struggle to return to work. Others may never again be able to function at work. In such cases, the disabled worker should be compensated for the wages he or she can no longer earn.

Partial versus Total Disability

A disability is an injury or illness that affects one’s ability to work. A disability can be temporary or permanent, partial or total:

• Partial temporary disability: The worker can return to work, but with certain limitations on what the worker is physically capable of doing at work, but he or she should eventually fully recover.
• Permanent partial disability: The employee has suffered a permanent injury that affects his or her ability to work. An example of this is an amputation injury that alters the worker’s ability but does not make work impossible.
• Temporary total disability: The worker has suffered an injury so traumatic that work is currently impossible. Given time to heal and rehabilitate, the employee should be able to return to work.
• Permanent total disability: This is when a worker will never again be able to work. The injuries or illnesses suffered prevent the victim from working and are permanent.

Examples of Total Disabilities

There are many types of injuries that may make the victim unable to work. Injuries that can lead to total disabilities include:

• Multiple broken bones: Victims of serious accidents involving broken bones will require a long time to heal. Depending upon the bones, it is likely that the victim will have to miss work completely for a prolonged period of time.
• Traumatic brain injuries: Victims of head trauma may sustain a devastating brain injury. Accidents involving falls, train collisions, derailment incidents and crane accidents have been known to cause this type of catastrophic injury. While some brain injury accidents require a few weeks away from work, traumatic brain injuries may impair the victim’s ability to ever work again.
• Spinal cord injuries: When the back is jerked, twisted or crushed, there is the potential for spinal cord damage to occur. Railroad employees who have sustained a spinal cord injury will potentially not be able to perform physical tasks at work ever again.

The Cost of Total Disability in Missouri

Victims of railroad accidents that cause total disabilities are unable to earn money for future medical expenses and physical therapy fees. If the accident involved negligence, the injured victim will be able to seek compensation through the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA). Negligent railroad employers may be held liable for losses such as medical expenses, past and future suffering, punitive damages, cost of rehabilitation and lost future wages.

The experienced St. Louis workers’ compensation attorneys at Page Law have a long history of helping injured workers. If you or a loved one has suffered a total disability in a Missouri railroad accident, please contact our offices at (314) 322-8515 for a free, comprehensive and confidential consultation.