Templeton v. Chicago & North Western Transportation Co.

The plaintiff, Tracy Templeton (Templeton), was an employee of the defendant railroad, Chicago and North Western Transportation Company (CNW). On January 27, 1984, Templeton was performing track work on a bridge located in Pekin, Illinois, and was severely injured when he fell through an opening in the bridge deck and landed on ice 31 feet below the bridge. Plaintiff filed suit in the circuit court of Cook County pursuant to the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) (45 U.S.C. § 51 et seq. (1988)), to recover damages for the injuries he sustained as a result of the fall. A jury awarded…