Former Norfolk Southern worker files FELA suit

A former Norfolk Southern Railway Company employee claims he was injured because of his 32 years of work for the company.

Randy L. Bentley claims that throughout his career on the railroad from 1976 until 2008, he was subjected to numerous repetitive traumas while repairing railroad tracks.

Because of his work, Bentley sustained severe and permanent injuries to his neck, back, spine, wrists, feet and body and has suffered great pain and mental anguish, according to the complaint filed Feb. 18 in Madison County Circuit Court.

He also lost money and earnings he would have been entitled to and incurred medical expenses, the suit states.

He claims Norfolk Southern was negligent by failing to provide safe and suitable tools and equipment, by failing to furnish him with necessary equipment, by failing to furnish him with proper protective equipment, by failing to provide him with proper supervision, by failing to warn him of reasonably foreseeable hazardous conditions and by allowing unsafe practices to become standard.

The railway also negligently assigned Bentley work that it knew would result in injury, assigned Bentley duties that it knew were beyond his physical capacity, failed to provide a reasonably safe place to work and safe work methods and failed to provide sufficient manpower to perform the tasks assigned, according to the complaint.

Gregory M. Tobin of Pratt and Tobin in East Alton will be representing him.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-0140.