Brown v. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Ry. Co., No. 13-2102 (7th Cir. 2014)
Annotate this CaseBrown began his employment with BNSF railroad in 1996 and progressed through jobs as a foreman, track inspector, and machine operator. In 2007 a family physician diagnosed Brown with carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists and cubital tunnel syndrome in his elbow. In October 2007 Brown allegedly injured his right shoulder after lifting heavy bars at work. His family physician could not detect any injury despite conducting tests, but sent Brown to physical therapy. By December 3, Brown reported that his shoulder was pain free, and his doctor cleared him to return to work with no restrictions. The next day, Brown had surgery on his wrist to relieve his carpal tunnel syndrome. Surgery on the other wrist followed in January 2008. He returned to work on March 24 without restrictions. He had surgery on his elbow in October 2009 and was cleared to return to work in January 2010. Brown’s surgeon informed him that all three procedures were successful and resolved his symptoms. Brown remained employed at BNSF without medical restriction until September 2011. In 2009, Brown sued under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), 45 U.S.C. 51, alleging that the railway negligently caused cumulative trauma to his wrists, elbow, and shoulder because his duties required him to use vibrating tools that caused or aggravated his wrist conditions and that he was required to work excessive hours without proper equipment while BNSF was short‐staffed. The district court excluded his expert’s reports and testimony as unreliable and dismissed. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, noting several flaws in the expert’s reports.
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