Three Norfolk Employees Awarded More Than $1 Million For Injuries

by | March 4th, 2013

March 4, 2013

The railroad company, Norfolk Southern Corp., has been ordered by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to pay more than $1 million to three employees who were wrongfully terminated after suffering work-related injuries.

According to an OSHA press release, a crane operator suffered an eye injury when struck by a piece of metal while working. The company took the worker out of service following the accident and formally fired him a short time later. Norfolk Southern listed the reason for the termination as giving false statements regarding the accident.

Then, the company fired a welder and his assistant after the pair was involved in a car accident. The men were said to be riding in a company truck when another vehicle ran a red light and hit a car. The second vehicle then struck the men’s work truck. The men initially didn’t seek medical treatment, but as their shoulder pains grew, they were taken to a local hospital.

An investigation determined Norfolk Southern had terminated the men’s employment based on their reporting injuries and claimed the men would not have been let go had they not reported the injuries.

The Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers with the law firm of Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley explain workers have a right to a healthy and safe environment in which to work. When an accident does occur, an employer has a responsibility to cover the expenses through Virginia Workers’ Compensation. Failure to provide either is against the law.