Norfolk, VA Railroad Injury Attorney Reports – New CSX Chief Appointed

The giant railroad company CSX has a new chief operating officer and a new chief financial officer. The reasons for the appointments are unclear.

Oscar Munoz was named as CSX’s new chief operating officer and executive vice president.
Fredrik J. Eliasson has been announced as chief financial officer, Rail News reported.

CSX announced that Munoz is replacing David A. Brown, who ‘is no longer with the company’, but their decision to this change at the top‘is unrelated to CSX’s financial condition’.

As an experienced Virginia (VA) railroad/FELA accident injury attorney, I have to wonder if the move was linked to the large number of recent accident injury claims brought by employees.

See this video of a CSX derailment.

In July 2011, The U.S. Supreme Court handed out a 5-4 decision in favor of an injured railroad worker’s claim against his employer.

The worker – Robert McBride – was employed as a railroad engineer by CSX Transportation when he severely injured his hand operating an independent brake. He filed suit under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), controls compensation for workplace injuries, on the railroad. He claimed that CSX required him to work with unsafe equipment did not provide operational training.

McBride won a $275,000 award to McBride resulting from the negligence of CSX.

In another case a judge granted a former CSX employee $125,000. John X. Begley claimed that he suffered cumulative trauma to his knees and hips during the time he worked for the CSX railroad from 1970 to 1998.

CSX has been involved in a number of high profile derailment and collisions in recent years. Given the lack of other factors I have to wonder if this change at the top is related to the company’s dubious safety record.