Pre-settlement funding for FELA railway worker claims.
Claims under the Federal Employers' Liability Act for railroad workers injured on the job. How pre-settlement funding works for qualifying FELA plaintiffs.
Non-recourse funding is repaid only from a settlement or award. Independent capital providers set the terms.
Bills do not wait for your case.
Rent, medical bills and living costs keep arriving while a case moves through the court. An advance against a pending case can cover them and is repaid only if the case produces a recovery.
How FELA railway worker cases are reviewed
The Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA) is the exclusive remedy for railroad workers injured in the course of their employment. Unlike state workers' compensation systems, FELA requires proving railroad negligence — but applies a reduced comparative fault standard and allows recovery for pain and suffering. FELA cases often involve injuries from equipment failures, repetitive stress, chemical exposure, and inadequate safety measures. Cases are handled exclusively in federal or state courts by specialized railroad injury attorneys.
What makes a qualifying case
Not every claim is a fit for funding. These are the factors our review weighs most heavily for this case type. Meeting them does not guarantee that a provider will fund.
Requirement 1
Filed FELA claim with retained counsel
Requirement 2
Documented work injury or occupational disease with negligence evidence
Requirement 3
Common-carrier railroad employer
How terms are set
Rates and terms are set by the capital provider and written in the provider’s agreement before signing.
How the process works for FELA railway worker claims
- STEP 1ApplyContact us with your FELA claim details. Criterica Capital reviews FELA cases with attention to railroad injury litigation.
- STEP 2DocumentationYour attorney provides the FELA complaint, injury documentation, and railroad safety violation evidence.
- STEP 3Provider decisionIndependent capital providers review the file, decide whether to fund and set their own terms. Criterica Capital does not make the funding decision.
- STEP 4Provider agreementIf a provider funds the case, the provider's agreement states how and when funds are paid.
How we underwrite this case type
FELA underwriting evaluates the negligence evidence against the documented injury, applying the statute's favorable comparative-fault standard, under which recovery is reduced but not barred by the worker's own fault. We assess the railroad safety-violation evidence and the injury severity, then model expected recovery against outcome data for comparable FELA matters. Railroad defendants are well-resourced, so collectability is rarely the constraint.
FELA claims typically resolve within 18 to 36 months given the specialized discovery and the railroad’s defense posture.
FELA (Railway Workers) Funding: common questions
FELA covers employees of common carrier railroads engaged in interstate commerce. Certain transit and municipal rail systems may be covered by different statutes. Your attorney can confirm which statute applies.
FELA uses a pure contributory negligence reduction — your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, but you are not barred from recovery even if you are primarily at fault. This is more favorable than many state workers' compensation systems.
Request funding for your case.
Pre-settlement funding is a non-recourse purchase of a portion of the proceeds of a pending legal claim — not a loan. If the case does not result in a recovery, nothing is owed. Rates, fees, and repayment terms are disclosed in full in the funding agreement, which the applicant’s attorney reviews before signing. Availability and terms vary by state.