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| ONLINE VERSION | JUNE/JULY 2001 |
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| ONLINE VERSION | JUNE/JULY 2001 |
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Legal Aid Program List |
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| 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. Blunt & Associates, Ltd. 60 Edwardsville Professional Park Bricker, Zakovics, Querin, NATIONAL: (800) 321-1700 Christian & Small, L.L.P. Attorneys and Counselors 505 20th Street North, Suite 1800 Birmingham, AL 35203-2696 (205) 795-6588 Fax: 205-328-7234 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: (888) 425-1212 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 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 St., N. E. 400 Colony Square, Ste. 1900 Atlanta, GA 30361 TELEPHONE: (404) 522-4414 TOLL FREE NATIONAL: (800) 628-6470 Kaplan Law Corporation 5909 West 3rd Street Los Angeles, CA 90036 TELEPHONE: (323) 930-2744 FAX: 323-930-1476 TOLL FREE NATIONAL: (800) 552-7526 www.Kaplanlawcorp.com 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 Angeles, 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 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 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 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:
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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