(The following appeared on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram website on February 22, 2011.)
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway Co. says it will probably appeal a $1.9 million jury verdict that found the railroad responsible for the back injuries that forced a longtime locomotive engineer to retire early.
The engineer’s lawyer argued that 30 years of harsh riding in locomotives with bad seats resulted in spinal cord injuries in his neck and back.
He also said there is ample documented medical and research evidence that shows that the combination of the rough ride of heavily used locomotives and the lack of good, ergonomic and vibration-absorbing seats for the engineers has a long-term impact.
The railroads, and BNSF in particular, have ignored the problem, he said.
The full story appears at www.star-telegram.com.