Lisa A. Boyd v. BNSF Railway Company

Tenn. Ct. App.December 17, 2018No. W2017-02189-COA-R3-CV

Case Details

Judge(s): Judge Arnold B. Goldin
Status: Published
Procedural Posture: Appellate affirmance of jury verdict; trial court denied motion for new trial

Related Laws

No specific laws identified for this ruling.

Outcome

Jury found railroad employee zero percent at fault in FELA accident where she was crushed by a container box at intermodal facility. Trial court denied railroad's motion for new trial, and appellate court affirmed.

Excerpt

This is an FELA case arising out of an accident that occurred at the railroad's intermodal facility in which a railroad employee was crushed by a container box being lifted off of a holster truck. The jury entered a verdict in favor of the employee, determining she was zero percent at fault for the accident, despite allegations that she had failed to set the holster truck brakes. The railroad moved for a new trial, raising several evidentiary issues and asserting that the jury's failure to find the employee contributorily negligent was against the clear weight of the evidence. The trial court denied the motion. We affirm the trial court's order on jury verdict, as remitted.

What This Ruling Means

**Railroad Worker Wins Case After Being Crushed by Container** Lisa Boyd, a BNSF Railway employee, was seriously injured when a heavy container box crushed her while being lifted at the company's shipping facility. The railroad company claimed Boyd was partially responsible for the accident, arguing she failed to set the brakes on equipment called a "holster truck." A jury disagreed completely with the railroad's claims. They found Boyd was zero percent at fault for the accident, meaning the railroad was fully responsible for her injuries. BNSF asked for a new trial, but both the trial court and appeals court rejected this request, letting the jury's decision stand. This case matters for railroad workers because it shows that under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA), workers can win even when their employer tries to blame them for workplace accidents. The jury saw through BNSF's attempt to shift responsibility to Boyd and held the company fully accountable for maintaining a safe workplace. For railroad employees, this demonstrates that FELA provides meaningful protection when they're injured due to their employer's negligence, even when the company argues the worker contributed to the accident.

This summary was generated to explain the ruling in plain English and is not legal advice.

Similar Rulings

Martin

S.D.N.Y.Aug 2025

Defendant Win

Jane Doe v. The Trustees of Columbia University

S.D.N.Y.Aug 2025

Defendant Win

Robert Barboza v. U.S. Department of Labor

9th CircuitJul 2022

Defendant Win

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. BNSF Railway Company

Read Full Opinion More BNSF Railway Company Rulings All Rulings

Facing something similar at work?

Court rulings like this one are useful, but every situation is different. Take 2 minutes to see which laws may protect you — it's free, private, and no account is required to start.

Check Your Rights Learn the Basics

This ruling information is sourced from public court records via CourtListener.com. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.