Over the past 24 years, Jeffrey E. Chod has achieved numerous favorable results on behalf of his clients throughout the country.  Every case is unique so past results do not guarantee similar outcomes in future cases.  A small sample of notable past results include:

FELA Railroad Claims

$9,333,016 VERDICT (10/28/2022) – Thege v. BNSF Railway Company, United States District Court, Nebraska (Lincoln), Case No. 4:20-cv-3014. Carman employee at Havelock sustained catastrophic spine injuries and a MTBI with resulting permanent impairments from being knocked over in a scissor lift raised 9-feet in the air while removing a side sheet from a railcar. BNSF admitted liability shortly before trial. After close to 2.5 hours of deliberations a federal court jury returned a verdict well in excess of BNSF’s last pretrial offer.

$600,000 VERDICT (10/29/2020) – Bailey v. Union Pacific Railroad Company, District Court of Harris County, Texas, Case No. 2018-09030. Locomotive Machinist in Houston, Texas sustained lumbar spine and shoulder injuries when a defective locomotive spontaneously started causing a consist of locomotives to crash into stationary locomotives being serviced on a repair track. After 11 hours of deliberations the jury returned a verdict in excess of UP’s pretrial offer. Co-counsel was Roven Camp, PLLC. This was one of the first civil jury trials to take place during Covid in Harris County and was the 24th largest jury verdict in Texas in 2020.

$7,112,071 VERDICT (1/16/2019) – Rohr v. BNSF Railway Company, District Court of Lancaster County, Nebraska, Case No. CI-17-620. Carman employee in Lincoln, Nebraska sustained severe crush injuries to the left foot from a railcar wheel rolling over the foot during a flat-switching operation. The severity of the injuries resulted in a mid-foot amputation and then a left leg below knee amputation.  After taking into consideration the employee’s percentage of fault, the net verdict was $3,484,914.79.  The net verdict was more than 3 times the pretrial offer with the client continuing to work as a Carman for the railroad in Lincoln.

$5,021,016 VERDICT (6/24/2017) – Boyd v. BNSF Railway Company, Circuit Court of Tennessee, 13th Judicial District at Memphis, Case No. CT-605-15. Intermodal Equipment Operator employee in Memphis, Tennessee sustained severe, occupationally disabling injuries from being crushed by a shipping container during an improper crane lifting procedure.  The jury verdict was more than 50 times the pretrial offer.  On September 12, 2018 the verdict was affirmed by the Tennessee Court of Appeals, No. W2017-02189-COA-R3-CV and on May 20, 2019 the Tennessee Supreme Court denied BNSF’s application for permission to appeal, No. W2017-02189-SC-R11-CV.

$182,185 VERDICT (1/9/2015) – Campbell v. BNSF Railway Company, District Court of Wyandotte County, Kansas, Case No. 13-CV-1385.  Laborer employee in Kansas City, Kansas injured spine from slipping on oil and falling off a locomotive during a washing procedure.  The jury verdict was more than 3 times the pretrial offer with the client continuing to work for the railroad.

$9,323,660 VERDICT (3/13/2007) – Baird v. Louisville & Indiana Railroad, Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Kentucky, Case No. 05-CI-06992. Trainman employee in Jeffersonville, Indiana sustained severe injuries to his left leg resulting in a below knee amputation when a cut of railcars were flat-switched into a set of railcars where the client was lacing air hoses. After taking into consideration the employee’s percentage of fault, the net verdict was $7,850,028, substantially more than the pretrial offer.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2024 (WA): City of Tacoma Conductor injured lacing air hoses.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2024 (IL): BNSF Carman injured when his Kubota rolled over down an embankment while inspecting railcars on adjacent track.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2024 (NE): BNSF Conductor injured throwing a defective track switch.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2024 (AR): UPRR Track Welder injured in on-duty collision with a semi-truck.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2023 (NE): BNSF Conductor fatally injured being transported by Railcrew Xpress to his away-from-home lodging.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2023 (WA): BNSF Laborer injured by a defective locomotive handbrake that unexpectedly actuated striking him.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2022 (MO): UPRR Mechanic injured when fell off locomotive repairing broken platform grabiron.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2022 (NE): UPRR Locomotive Engineer injured slipping on water leaking from icebox inside cab of engine.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2022 (OK): BNSF Laborer injured being struck by locomotive while operating an RTV in the train yard.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2022 (NE): BNSF Carman injured falling into an unprotected pit inside closed yard building.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2021 (NE): BNSF Locomotive Engineer injured when locomotive traveled over a defective section of track.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2021 (VA): NSRC Locomotive Engineer injured spine when defective running board of transport vehicle broke.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2020 (NE): Motor vehicle collision with several horses who escaped from a feedlot in Wellfleet, NE causing the death of one occupant and serious injuries to the other three occupants.

Confidential SETTLEMENT 2019 (WY): UPRR Locomotive Engineer perished in a train collision west of Cheyenne, WY when the train experienced a catastrophic braking system failure.

$1,625,000 SETTLEMENT (WI): Railroad employee injured from being struck by a piece of equipment.

$850,000 SETTLEMENT (MO): Conductor employee injured spine throwing defective track switch.

$725,000 SETTLEMENT (OH): Conductor employee injured spine operating a defective track switch.

$647,000 SETTLEMENT (VA): Engineer employee with cumulative trauma spine injuries.

$600,000 SETTLEMENT (KY): Engineer employee injured spine due to switching incident in rail yard.

$395,000 SETTLEMENT (MT): Railroad employee injured by trespasser in rail yard.

$395,000 SETTLEMENT (TX): Engineer employee with knee injuries due to LIA violation.

$335,000 SETTLEMENT (AL): Engineer employee with cumulative trauma spine and knee injuries.

$330,000 SETTLEMENT (TX): Conductor employee injured shoulder/spine falling down steps in locomotive due to LIA violation.

$325,000 SETTLEMENT (NE): Electrician employee injured spine after being hit in head with object thrown by co-worker.

$312,500 SETTLEMENT (VA): Engineer employee with traumatic knee injuries from fall on locomotive due to LIA violation.

$300,000 SETTLEMENT (WY): Engineer employee injured in slip/fall at away-from-home terminal hotel.

$295,500 SETTLEMENT (OK): Maintenance of Way employee injured spine from falling off track equipment due to CFR violation.

$287,000 SETTLEMENT (SC): Clerk employee with respiratory lung injuries from acute occupational exposures.

$275,000 SETTLEMENT (WY): Engineer employee injured spine dismounting locomotive in unsafe conditions.

$250,000 SETTLEMENT (MS): Engineer employee with brain cancer from years of hazardous occupational exposures.

$250,000 SETTLEMENT (OK): Conductor employee with cumulative trauma spine injuries.

$250,000 SETTLEMENT (KS): Conductor employee with cumulative trauma spine and knee injuries.

$175,000 SETTLEMENT (OK): Brakeman employee injured spine falling off railcar ladder.

$150,000 SETTLEMENT (IN): Conductor with cumulative trauma arm and knee injuries.

$140,000 SETTLEMENT (OK): Conductor employee soft-tissue neck injuries in low speed van accident.

Non-Railroad Claims

$500,000 SETTLEMENT (NE): Client injured in trucking accident.

$500,000 SETTLEMENT (MO): Client injured in trucking accident.

$325,000 SETTLEMENT (KS): Client injured in motorcycle accident.

$200,000 SETTLEMENT (GA): Client injured spine in slip and fall incident at motel.

$200,000 SETTLEMENT (MO): Client injured knee and spine in slip and fall incident at restaurant.

$200,000 SETTLEMENT (IN): Crossing collision where truck driver’s contributory fault was substantial.

$180,000 SETTLEMENT (NE): Client railroad employee sustained multiple soft-tissue injuries in crossing collision claim against trucking company.

$150,000 SETTLEMENT (NE): Client injured knee and spine in motor vehicle accident.

$150,000 SETTLEMENT (KY): Client sustained business opportunity loss, breach of contract claim.

$150,000 SETTLEMENT (IL): Client injured spine in Illinois workers’ compensation claim.

$100,000 SETTLEMENT (VA): Client injured spine in motor vehicle accident.