How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 28 severe cases involving non-passenger rail vehicle strikes over the last decade. Amputations are the primary outcome, accounting for 58% of these reported incidents, which often result in permanent disability.
These events frequently impact your lower legs, leading to life-altering trauma. The high frequency of crush injuries and fractures highlights the extreme force involved when heavy rail equipment interacts with you.
Common injuries
Most rail vehicle strikes occur during coupling, uncoupling, or switching operations where you are positioned between or near moving railcars. Heavy rail vehicles are the primary source of these injuries, often catching you during unexpected movements or when visibility is obstructed. Tripping on railroad ties or failing to clear the tracks before a train begins to move are common mechanisms that lead to catastrophic crush injuries.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 15 |
| 2 | Fractures | 7 |
| 3 | Multiple severe wounds and internal injuries | 1 |
| 4 | Sprains, strains, tears | 1 |
| 5 | Traumatic injuries or exposures— unspecified | 1 |
| 6 | Injuries to internal organs and major blood vessels | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 43% of these severe rail-related incidents, as many facilities operate internal rail lines for material transport. Transportation and warehousing follow closely at 36%, where the high-pressure environment of staging and loading railcars increases the risk of human error and mechanical failure during coupling procedures.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports include you being caught between railcar knuckles, falling under moving wheels, or getting limbs pinned during coupling. These incidents often stem from communication breakdowns during switching or equipment failures that leave you vulnerable in the path of heavy machinery. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | MS | Construction | "An employee was working the switchboard for a train to move through the plant. He gave the all clear signal, and the train began reversing on the tracks. The employee went to get onto the train as it was moving toward him when he missed the railing and fell underneath the train. The last railcar ran over both of his legs, amputating the legs above the knees." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "On April 27, 2025, employees were performing a railcar switch. When the train began to shift back, the injured employee's right arm got crushed between the knuckles of two railcars. The employee was hospitalized with fractures to their forearm." | |
| 2025 | OK | Other Services | "An employee was working to couple two railcars together, holding the lever with one hand and the coupler with the other hand. The locomotive then backed up and his left arm got caught in the coupler, resulting in a broken arm and a broken little finger." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "An employee was uncoupling railcars while the cars were in motion and a car ran over her left lower leg, resulting in crush injuries and amputation below the knee. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | IL | Transportation & Warehousing | "On October 5, 2024, a crew was staging the last string of railcars to be loaded when the injured employee stepped forward and tripped on a railroad tie, causing his right foot to be on the rail. A staged railcar rolled forward and caught his foot between the wheel and the rail. The employee was hospitalized for amputations to toes." | |
| 2024 | LA | Manufacturing | "An employee in the rail yard was struck by the corner of a slow-moving railcar and lost their balance. The employee grabbed onto the side of the railcar to regain their balance and sustained an avulsion injury to the left thigh and a broken right ankle." | |
| 2023 | AR | Manufacturing | "On December 4, 2023, an employee was helping to move a hopper car. He was climbing the stairs to go to the other side of the hopper car when he slipped. His right foot went under the hopper car's wheel and a toe was amputated." | |
| 2022 | NJ | Manufacturing | "An employee was working between railcars on an active railroad track to connect the airbrake. Another employee moved the railcars, striking and running over the employee resulting in amputation of both legs." | |
| 2022 | OH | Manufacturing | "On March 25, 2022, an employee had just detached a string of empty rail cars away from some loaded cars. The string of detached cars was being taken ahead, and the employee began pulling the knuckle of a rail car into the open position. The string of detached cars then momentarily came back, and the employee was pinched between two cars. The employee suffered a broken right hip and was hospitalized." | |
| 2022 | TX | Transportation & Warehousing | "At about 8:40 p.m., two employees (a groundsman and a switchman) were working in a rail yard, setting rail cars to be released from the site. The groundsman was watching the switchman connect an end-of-train device on the string of rail cars. While he was on the adjacent track, a locomotive on that track moved forward and struck him, knocking him over, injuring his right foot, and amputating his left leg above the knee." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Crush injuries from rail vehicles frequently result in traumatic amputations and complex fractures that require multiple surgeries and extensive physical therapy. You may face permanent mobility limitations and chronic pain that prevent a return to your previous occupation. An attorney can help you evaluate the full scope of your medical needs and potential long-term disability benefits.
Employers are required to maintain safe operating procedures and ensure that you are properly trained for hazardous rail tasks. If a failure in safety protocols, such as inadequate signaling or faulty equipment, contributed to your injury, you may have a valid claim for compensation. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer met their safety obligations during the incident.
Workers' Compensation is designed to cover medical expenses and lost wages for injuries you sustain during the course of employment, regardless of fault. Because rail accidents often involve severe, high-cost injuries, navigating the claims process can be complex. An attorney can help you ensure your claim accurately reflects the severity of your injuries and the extent of your recovery needs.
Employers may attempt to shift blame to you to avoid liability, but Workers' Compensation is generally a no-fault system. Even if there is a dispute regarding safety compliance, you still have rights to benefits and medical care. An attorney can help you gather evidence, such as incident reports and witness statements, to protect your interests throughout the claims process.