First, let’s break down what a FELA claim is: FELA is the Federal Employers Liability Act that protects the rights of railroad workers who are injured on the worksite. This allows railroad workers to sue their employers in the case of negligence in the work environment. It can help you obtain compensation for lost wages and outstanding medical bills.
So here’s how long you should wait before filing a FELA claim:
File a claim immediately
This isn’t the time to wait for someone to knock on your door wanting to help you file your FELA claim. You may not have the energy to file a claim the very next day while you recover from your injuries. However, filing a claim while the incident is still fresh on your mind will help you detail all the finer points from the event. You’ll also need to converse with any additional injured workers if you weren’t alone in the accident.
Take this time to identify how the accident took place. This could mean a greasy surface, broken glass, loose bolts or something else that’s resulted in you ending up injured. All of which needs to be put in writing for future reference.
You have a maximum of three years from the date of the accident to file. If you leave it too late, you will be outside the statute of limitations. Yet the sooner you start to gather all your paperwork, check your boxes and file that claim, the sooner you can get the compensation you need. If you’re looking to file a FELA claim because of a workplace accident, you may need experienced legal help to help get it right the first time and avoid delays due to errors.
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