Kevin Hamilton v. Union Pacific Railroad Company, et al.; United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa; Case No. 4:15-cv-299
Les Gelhar obtained a defense verdict for the Union Pacific Railroad in this FELA negligence claim. Kevin Hamilton, a railroad conductor, claimed he suffered a career ending knee injury when he stepped in a hole located along an industry siding in Des Moines. The jury found no negligence on the part of the railroad, or the involved industry, and placed sole fault on Mr. Hamilton. The trial court also significantly restricted the opinions of plaintiff’s track safety expert, Alan Blackwell in a series of motions in limine, including any opinion by Mr. Blackwell that federal regulations were violated.