Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad sued for negligence

An employee is suing over claims he was injured while working on a locomotive.

William Cales filed a lawsuit Dec. 16 in the Cook County Circuit Court against Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co., citing negligence.

According to the complaint,  the defendant owned, maintained and operated various railroad yards in Cook County on Oct. 27, when Cales was employed by Indiana Harbor and sustained injuries while attempting to adjust a defective seat in his locomotive.

He claims that as he stepped out of the locomotive, his vision blurred, he grew dizzy and his heart began to race. Cales alleges that the defendant failed to provide a safe work place, failed to inspect the seats of its locomotives and ordered work done in an unsafe manner.

Cales is seeking more than $50,000 in damages and is being represented in the case by attorney George T. Brugess of Hoey and Farina P.C.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2013L014127.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in the Cook County Circuit Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.