Adams v. Burlington Northern Railroad

HANNA, Judge.

Plaintiff Charley Adams was an employee of defendant Burlington Northern Railroad Company. On April 2S, 1991, plaintiff was permanently injured while operating a track switch in the course- of his employment. He sued defendant for negligence based on the Federal Employer’s Liability Act, 45 U.S.C. §§ 51 et seq. (FELA). The jury returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff in the amount of $709,150. Defendant appeals.

At issue is the valuation of plaintiffs loss of his retirement benefits. We are concerned here with two separate types of benefits: disability benefits that plaintiff has…