A railroad signalman is suing a major railroad carrier, alleging injuries sustained at work.
Desmonn Smith filed a lawsuit May 8 in Cook County Circuit Court against CSX Transportation Inc.
According to the complaint, on Sept. 7, 2014, Smith and his crew were replacing a sign mast extending over several tracks. Usually a boom truck is used for this work, the lawsuit states, but the boom truck assigned to this crew wasn't working that day because it was leaking hydraulic fluid.
As a result, the lawsuit states, when Smith was "pulling on ... a tag line in an attempt to place the signal bar into proper position, the tag line snapped, which caused [him] to fall backward and sustain injury."
The plaintiff alleges injury, pain and suffering and medical expense.
Smith seeks damages in excess of $50,000, plus costs and a jury trial. He is represented by attorneys Robert B. Thompson, Laurence C. Acker and Robert E. Harrington III in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015L004765.