Can the Railroad Retaliate Against Me for Following my Doctors Orders When My Medical Problem Happened Off Duty; Part 3 of 3

Part 3

As we discussed in Part 1, it seemed obvious that the FRSA protected railroad employees who follow their doctor’s orders for non-work related injuries. But as we learned in Part 2, some courts don’t care what a statute says – in the Bala/PATH decision the Third Circuit admitted that subsection (c)(2) of the FRSA has no work-related requirement, but still decided that only following your doctor’s orders for work-related injuries or conditions is covered by the FRSA.

The good thing about the Third Circuit’s decision – is that it only applies in the Third Circuit, that is, the states of Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Virgin Islands. So until the United States Supreme Court decides otherwise (and they might!) employees throughout the rest of the country are still covered by the FRSA for their non-work related injuries.

That conclusion was given further strength by the United States Department of Labor, and its Administrative Review Board (ARB), which also hears and decides FRSA cases. In the case Williams v. Grand Truck Western Railroad, the ARB decided: “Third Circuit added a work-related limitation to the statute. We disagree with the Third Circuit’s conclusion…” The ARB further decided, “we decline to apply the holding in PATH to cases not arising in the Third Circuit.”

So the takeaway here is that everywhere in the country, except Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Virgin Islands, if you have an injury or illness outside of work, and your doctor prescribes certain treatment, the FRSA protects you for following your doctor’s orders.

No matter where you live, but especially if you live in the Third Circuit, you need experienced railroad attorneys to help you with any railroad-related claim. If you have been disciplined by the railroad for following your doctor’s order, contact us, no matter what state you live in!