Hawaii FELA Attorney
Railroads were first built in Hawaii to haul sugar and support the sugar cane industry. On the island of Kauai, the first railroad began service in 1881 as a three-mile narrow gauge track leading to the Kilauea Plantation. Those three miles of rails expanded to almost 200 by 1915, running cars to haul sugar and materials to support transport of sugar cane to and from the island’s plantations.
The Island of Oahu Railroads
The first railroad to operate on the island of Oahu, the Oahu Railway and Land Company (OR&L), started moving agricultural products from inland to the sea and freight from the seaports inland in November 1889. It helped the agricultural and local towns’ economies, encouraged new land purchases and stimulated the establishment of sugar and pineapple plantations.
The OR&L grew to 160 miles of track in the early 1900’s.
Hawaii, Lanai, Maui, and Molokai
These islands built railroads in a similar fashion to serve tourism and the agricultural industries of sugar and pineapple.
A Challenging Task and Dangerous Work
Building railroads on islands 2,500 miles from the closest continent was a most challenging task. The equipment to build the lines, plus supplies like the rails and ties, were heavy, had to be transported to the U.S. west coast, and then shipped by boat to the Hawaiian islands. Construction as well as working on the railroads was and remains today a dangerous job.
Common Types of Railroad Injuries in Hawaii
The types of injuries common among rail workers are:
- Back and neck injuries
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Crushing injuries
- Disfigurement
- Dismemberment
- Electrocutions
- Injuries to the shoulders, knees, arms, hands, wrists, and elbows
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Injuries from exposure to toxic gas and other poisonous substances
In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the numbers of injured and killed rail workers increased so much that an outcry arose from the public and the workers’ unions. Even President Theodore Roosevelt began to pressure Congress into passing a law to protect the workers.
The result was passage in 1908 of the Federal Employer Liability Act (FELA). The act has been essential in providing a way for railroad workers and their families to recover damages from the railroad companies for such heavy, dangerous and grueling work.
Contact a FELA Lawyer in Hawaii
If you or someone you love has been injured in a railroad accident, it is important to have a FELA attorney working on your behalf. Our FELA lawyers have specialized experience in the complicated FELA laws and are experts at obtaining reimbursements for injured clients. Our Hawaii FELA attorneys would be happy to offer you a free consultation to discuss the particulars of your situation. Call us today or send us an email and an experienced FELA law attorney will contact you to schedule a private consultation.
