FELA claims carry a strict three-year deadline — and the railroad’s claim agents start building their file the day you are hurt. Consultations are free and confidential.

Kentucky · Nationwide · FELA & Railroad Injury Law

Hurt on the job at the
railroad?
You do not have to stand alone.

Railroad workers are not covered by workers’ compensation. Your claim falls under the Federal Employers Liability Act — a fault-based law that lets you recover full damages when your railroad’s negligence played any part in your injury.

20+Years fighting for victims
$0Upfront cost to you
FreeConfidential consultation
  • You may be entitled to compensation for:
  • Medical care, supplies, and future treatment
  • Lost wages, benefits, and reduced earning capacity
  • Household services you can no longer perform yourself
  • Physical pain, mental anguish, and loss of a normal life
  • Wrongful death claims for spouses, children, and parents
Memberships & recognition
American Association for Justice Kentucky Bar Association American Bar Association Kentucky Justice Association

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Our firm

Why Satterley & Kelley PLLC?

For more than 20 years, our trial lawyers have gone up against the largest corporations in the world on behalf of railroad workers and their families.

The Satterley & Kelley trial team — Louisville, Kentucky

The trial team — Louisville, Kentucky

  • Skilled FELA trial lawyers

    Railroad negligence cases tried against the nation’s largest carriers. We know the duties, the regulations, and the experts.

  • Millions recovered for rail workers

    Verdicts and settlements won for injured Kentucky railroad employees and the families they support.

  • No fee unless we win

    You pay nothing upfront. We advance all costs and collect a fee only if we recover for you.

Where injuries happen

How railroad workers get hurt

Railroading is unforgiving work, and most serious injuries trace back to something the carrier controlled — equipment it failed to inspect, a rule it failed to enforce, or a quota that left no safe way to do the job.

Yard and switching

Coupling and uncoupling, riding cars, throwing switches, and walking ballast in the dark. Defective knuckles, sticking hand brakes, and poor walkways cause crush injuries, falls, and amputations.

Track and maintenance-of-way

Roadway workers face on-track equipment, inadequate flagging and lookout protection, heavy tools, and repetitive lifting that wears down knees, shoulders, and backs across a career.

Locomotive and shop work

Rough track and worn cab seats, equipment defects covered by the Locomotive Inspection Act, and shop hazards including hoists, presses, and welding operations.

Toxic and long-term exposure

Diesel exhaust, asbestos in older locomotives and shop buildings, creosote on ties, silica in ballast dust, and solvents used to clean parts. These claims develop over years, not seconds.

Cases we handle

Injuries and illnesses covered by FELA

FELA covers most injuries railroad workers suffer on the job — including workers whose jobs never put them on or near a train. If the carrier’s negligence played any part, however small, you may have a claim.

Crush injuries and amputations

Couplings, moving equipment, and unguarded machinery cause some of the most severe injuries in the industry.

Severe fractures

Falls from equipment, ballast slips, and struck-by incidents commonly break legs, hips, ankles, and arms.

Traumatic brain injuries

Head strikes from falls, low clearances, and collisions can cause lasting cognitive, memory, and mood damage.

Spine and back injuries

Rough track, cab seat vibration, and heavy manual lifting produce herniated discs and permanent nerve damage.

Internal organ damage

Crush and impact trauma can injure organs in ways that are not obvious in the hours after an accident.

Cumulative trauma

Years of walking ballast, throwing switches, and lifting tools cause knee, shoulder, and back damage that FELA covers.

Occupational cancer and lung disease

Diesel exhaust, asbestos, creosote, and solvents are linked to lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other illnesses in rail workers.

Occupational hearing loss

Decades of locomotive, horn, and shop noise without adequate protection cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus.

What to do now

Three steps to protect your rights

What happens in the first days after an injury often decides the case — both for your health and for the strength of your claim.

01

Report the injury in writing

Fill out the injury report yourself, describe what happened accurately, and keep a copy. Get medical treatment right away and tell the provider exactly how you were hurt — that record becomes central evidence later.

02

Be careful what you sign

Claim agents work for the railroad, not for you. You are not required to give a recorded statement or sign a release before you have counsel. Photograph the scene and the equipment, note every witness, and write down what failed while it is fresh.

03

Call Satterley & Kelley

FELA gives you three years, but evidence disappears far sooner — defective equipment gets repaired and memories fade. Call for a free, confidential case review. We will assess your claim honestly and fight for every dollar you are owed, at no cost to you.

Why choose us

The Satterley & Kelley difference

For more than 20 years, our trial lawyers have represented injured workers in Kentucky and across the nation — taking on the railroads and Fortune 500 corporations with a record of results that speaks for itself.

Deep FELA trial experience

We have spent decades litigating railroad negligence and occupational exposure cases, and we have recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for injured Kentucky rail workers.

We know the railroad’s duties

FELA cases turn on duty: safe tools and equipment, proper inspection, adequate training and manpower, enforced safety rules, and reasonable work quotas. A federal safety violation can decide the case outright.

No fee unless we win

You pay nothing upfront. We advance all case costs and only collect a fee when we recover compensation for you. There is zero financial risk in calling us today.

The firm other firms refer to

When law firms across Kentucky and neighboring states encounter a serious FELA or railroad injury case, they refer it to Satterley & Kelley. That trust from peers reflects our depth of expertise.

FELA — what you need to know

Three years to file

FELA sets a three-year deadline that generally runs from the date of injury — or, for an occupational illness, from when you knew or should have known it was work-related.

Fault-based, not workers’ comp

You must show the railroad’s negligence played some part in your injury, however small. A violation of federal safety statutes or regulations can establish liability on its own.

Partial blame is not a bar

If the railroad argues you were partly at fault, that reduces your damages proportionally — it does not end your claim. And FELA sets no cap on what you can recover.

Client testimonials

What our clients say

★★★★★
“The team at Satterley & Kelley did an amazing job representing my family on behalf of our father … The team fought hard and they fought fair, all while preserving our father’s memory. Beyond happy with what they were able to achieve for our family.”

— Todd Boyd

★★★★★
“He was always very professional, compassionate and informative while navigating this situation through its completion … He made me feel my situation and loss were important to him and patiently answered any questions that I had.”

— Kay Davis

★★★★★
“The professionalism and knowledge we witnessed from the Satterley and Kelley Firm is second to none. Wonderful, kind caring individuals. We are forever grateful for their assistance.”

— Vickie Cook

Case result

$9.3million

Verdict for a 28-year-old railroad worker who suffered a leg amputation caused by his employer’s negligence (90% apportioned to the defendant).

See our verdicts & settlements →

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different, and testimonials reflect the experience of individual clients.

Super Lawyers® 2025 American Association for Justice Kentucky Bar Association Kentucky Justice Association American Bar Association

Injured working for the railroad?
Call us. Consultations are free.

We will honestly evaluate your claim, explain the strength of your case, and outline every legal option available to you — at absolutely no cost or obligation.

Call 855-385-9532 Contact Us Online

Available 24/7  ·  Free confidential consultation  ·  No fee unless we win