Railroad workers do not qualify for automatic compensation for injuries sustained on the job as most employees do. The FELA provides different benefits and eligibility requirements that worker’s compensation does not.
For example, worker’s compensation does not require an employee to establish negligence, though a lawsuit under the FELA does. While worker’s compensation benefits take effect immediately following a workplace accident, they cover limited damages. A lawsuit under the FELA must find fault with the workplace, but it often awards an employee significantly more in damages.