Engineer sues Illinois Central over repetitive injuries

A man has filed suit against his employer, alleging he sustained elbow and wrist injuries after his repetitive work for the company.

Jeffrey Garner claims he began working for Illinois Central Railroad Company as an engineer in December 1995.

While working for the railroad, Garner experienced long-term cumulative trauma that caused him to develop permanent injuries to his wrists and elbows, according to the complaint filed Feb. 24 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

In addition to his injuries, Garner suffered pain and mental anguish, lost earnings and incurred medical costs because of his work, the suit states.

Illinois Central Railroad Company negligently failed to provide Garner with a safe place to work and with safe tools and equipment, failed to provide him with safe methods to perform his work, failed to provide him with proper supervision and failed to warn him about the development of cumulative traumas leading to injury, the complaint says. In addition, Garner blames the railroad for failing to provide sufficient manpower for tasks it wanted performed.

Garner is seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs.

He will be represented by Paul T. Slocomb and David L. Blunt of Blunt Slocomb in St. Louis.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-86.