Here is an updated list of the approved attorneys in the BMWE's
Legal Aid Program who can be called on for advice and assistance when
needed in case of on-the-job personal injury or death.
BMWE members who are injured on the job, or the dependents of
members killed as a result of such injuries, should ascertain their
rights and protections under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA)
before attempting any settlement with a railroad company.
Under the Legal Aid Program, in case of personal injury or death
while employed on a railroad, a BMWE member or his family has access
to competent legal counsel in making claims under the FELA.
The BMWE-approved legal aid attorneys are well qualified to handle
cases under the FELA.
Alper, Mann & Weisbaum, P.C.
1730 K Street, N.W.
Suite 1107
Washington, D. C. 20006
TELEPHONE: (202) 298-9191
FAX: 202-298-9194
TOLL FREE
(800) 747-6266
Blunt & Associates, Ltd.
60 Edwardsville Professional Park
P. O. Box 373
Edwardsville, IL 62025
TELEPHONE: (618) 656-7744
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 323-5538
Bricker, Zakovics, Querin, Thompson & Ritchey, P.C.
One Main Place
101 S.W. Main Street, Suite 915
Portland, OR 97204-3271
TELEPHONE: (503) 226-1151
FAX: 503-273-9136
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 547-8811
Chattman, Gaines & Stern
1350 Euclid Avenue
Suite 1400
Cleveland, OH 44115
TELEPHONE: (216) 781-1700
FAX: 216-328-8018
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 321-1700
The Crow Law Firm
700 "E" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
TELEPHONE: (916) 441-2980
FAX: 916-441-3846
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 345-2889
Forceno & Arangio, L.L.P.
Suite 1000, The Bourse
111 S. Independence Mall East
Philadelphia, PA 19106-2574
TELEPHONE: (215) 732-1630
TOLL FREE
(800) 222-3352
FAX: 215-923-8507
Hoey, Farina & Downes
Suite 1010
542 S. Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60605
TELEPHONE: (312) 939-1212
FAX: 312-939-7842
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 624-2121
Hubbell, Sawyer, Peak, O'Neal & Napier
Power & Light Bldg., 12th Floor
106 West 14th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105-1992
TELEPHONE: (816) 221-5666
FAX: 816-221-5259
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 821-5257
Ingebritson & Associates, P.A.
Attorneys at Law
100 South Fifth Street
Suite 450
Minneapolis, MN 55402-1212
TELEPHONE: (612) 340-8290
FAX: 612-342-2990
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 282-6393
Johnson & Hatch
10 West Broadway, Suite 400
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
TELEPHONE: (801) 363-6363
FAX: 801-363-6666
Jones & Granger
P. O. Box 4340
Houston, TX 77210-4340
TELEPHONE: (713) 668-0230
TOLL FREE
TX ONLY: (800) 392-0620
NATIONAL: (800) 231-3359
Atlanta Office
1201 Peachtree Street, N. E.
400 Colony Square, Ste. 1900
Atlanta, GA 30361
TELEPHONE: (404) 522-4414
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 628-6470
William L. Keller & Associates, P.C.
1528 Walnut Street, Suite 1900
Philadelphia, PA 19102
TELEPHONE: (215) 735-8780
TOLL FREE
(800) 666-3352
FAX: 215-735-5126
Moody, Strople & Kloeppel, Inc.
Attorneys at Law
500 Crawford Street, Suite 300
Portsmouth, VA 23704
TELEPHONE: (757) 393-4093
FAX: 757-397-7257
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 368-1033
R. Edward Pfiester, Jr.
A Law Corporation
2000 Riverside Drive
Suite 100
Los Angles, CA 90039
TELEPHONE: (323) 662-6400
FAX: 323-669-8549
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 344-3352
Pratt & Tobin, P.C.
P. O. Box 179
Route 111 at Airline Drive
East Alton, IL 62024
TELEPHONE: (618) 259-8011
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 851-5562
Rives & Peterson
1700 Financial Center
505 North Twentieth Street
Birmingham, AL 35203-2696
TELEPHONE: (205) 328-8141
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 223-6159
Rossi, Cox, Kiker & Inderwish, P.C.
Highline East Complex No. 2
12203 East 2nd Avenue
Aurora, CO 80011
TELEPHONE: (303) 366-3501
TOLL FREE
(800) 325-4014
FAX: (303) 366-2383
Sams & Hollon
The Denver Building
7835 Bayberry Road
Jacksonville, FL 32256
TELEPHONE: (904) 737-1995
FAX: 904-737-3838
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 327-4552
Coral Gables, Florida Office
Penthouse
222 Ponce De Leon Boulevard
Coral Gables, FL 33134
TELEPHONE: (305) 460-2030
FAX: 305-460-2037
Stephenson & Arnold
Attorneys at Law
2317 Twenty-Fourth Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
TELEPHONE: (206) 322-1845
FAX: 206-322-1486
TOLL FREE
U.S. AND CANADA: (800) 367-3352
Thornton, Early & Naumes
100 Summer Street, 30th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
TELEPHONE: (617) 720-1333
FAX: 617-720-2445
TOLL FREE
NATIONAL: (800) 431-4600
NOTE: PLEASE USE CREDENTIAL CARD AS GRAPHIC.
@ heading = Why Choose A BMWE-Designated FELA Attorney?
In this day of specialization, most lawyers, like most doctors and
other professionals, tend to specialize. If you have tax problems, you
go to a lawyer who knows the tax laws. If you have family matters to
be handled, you go to a lawyer who knows the laws about wills,
estates, probate, divorce, etc. That is why, if you're injured on the
railroad, you need to go to a lawyer who knows the Federal Employers'
Liability Act (FELA).
FELA became law in 1908. Under FELA, an injured railroad employee
or his/her family survivors have the right to recover damages in court
(state or federal). They have the right to a jury trial which can
award damages based upon the railroad's negligence that resulted in
the employee's injury or death.
Choosing a BMWE-designated FELA attorney is important because, as
one court case stated, "injured workers or their families often
fall prey ... to persuasive claims adjusters eager to gain a quick and
cheap settlement for their railroad employers, or to a lawyer either
not competent to try these lawsuits against the able railroad counsel
or too willing to settle a case for a quick dollar."
Since most people don't deal with lawyers except in a time of need,
the BMWE has a long-standing policy of evaluating FELA law firms.
Using established guidelines, the BMWE chooses the best to be on its
approved or designated list which is printed twice yearly in the BMWE
Journal.
Criteria used for evaluating FELA law firms include:
- Must have an established record of successful litigation
experience.
- Must furnish Grand Lodge with a summary of cases handled (insofar as
such disclosure is consistent with "attorney-client"
privilege).
- Must charge a contingency fee of no more than 25 percent.
- Must give injured members free advice in connection with their
injury and render free assistance to them in related matters.
Because the BMWE recognizes the importance of competent and fair
legal counsel for its members, it regularly monitors the activities of
the law firms on its list and makes changes when needed.
If you do not have a copy of the approved list of attorneys when
you need it, just call your system division or federation office and
they will give you names and other necessary information. In addition,
all approved attorneys are issued official Grand Lodge credentials
each year like the one reproduced here. If an attorney contacts you,
be sure to ask for his credential.
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